THE ACTION OF INSULIN ON CELLS AND PROTOPLASM

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Abstract
1. Insulin does not speed the entrance of glucose into the eggs of a sea urchin, a clam and a worm. 2. Dilute solutions of heparin prevent protoplasmic clotting in ameba. This action of heparin is blocked by insulin. 3. Evidence is presented to show that insulin combines with heparin. It blocks the metachromatic reaction that heparin gives with toluidine blue. This can clearly be shown in vitro, and it is also indicated by studies on living amebae. 4. Earlier work has shown that heparin acts as an inhibitor of various enzymes, and in general it may be thought of as constituting a brake on many of the chemical activities of a cell. By preventing this inhibiting action, insulin is able to promote the synthesis of various essential constituents of the protoplasm. 5. Also, in view of the fact that protoplasmic clotting involves oxidation and can act as a trigger for oxidative activity, insulin by preventing the anticlotting action of heparin can promote oxidations.

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