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(Pro)Insulin processing

A historical perspective

  • Pancreatic And Islet Cell Biology
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Abstract

Insulin, the major secreted product of the β-cells of the islets of Langerhans, is initially synthesized as a precursor (preproinsulin), from which the mature hormone is excised by a series of proteolytic cleavages. This review provides a personal narrative of some of the key research projects leading to the identification of the central processing enzymes as proprotein convertase 1, proprotein convertase 2, and carboxypeptidase E. It also discusses the central roles of the intragranular environment and chaperone-like proteins in modulating processing activity.

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  1. Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO

    Howard W. Davidson

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Davidson, H.W. (Pro)Insulin processing. Cell Biochem Biophys 40 (Suppl 3), 143–157 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1385/CBB:40:3:143

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