Question

Brain cells are able to absorb glucose independent of insulin. What must be missing from brain cells compared to most other cell types? One of the risks of diabetes mellitus is diabetic coma, which results when insufficient glucose is available to the brain. Would you expect diabetic coma to be triggered when insulin is low or high? Explain. (Hint: Think about regulation of the number of glucose transporters in brain cells and how the hyperglycemia present prior to insulin treatment may affect transporters.)______

Answer 1

Brain cells have a constant number of glucose transporters, allowing them to absorb glucose independent of insulin. Diabetic coma can be triggered when there is insufficient glucose available to the brain, which can happen when insulin levels are low.

Step-by-step explanation:

Brain cells, unlike most other cell types, are able to absorb glucose independent of insulin. This is because brain cells have a constant number of glucose transporters in their membranes, which allows them to continuously take up glucose from the bloodstream regardless of the insulin levels. In contrast, most other cell types regulate the number of glucose transporters in response to insulin.

Diabetic coma is triggered when there is insufficient glucose available to the brain. This can happen when insulin levels are low. In diabetes mellitus, the hyperglycemia present prior to insulin treatment can cause downregulation of glucose transporters in brain cells, leading to a decrease in glucose uptake. If insulin levels are low, there will be even less glucose available to the brain, potentially triggering a diabetic coma.