Final answer:
Insulin facilitates glucose uptake and storage in cells primarily through the activation of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway, leading to multiple processes that decrease blood glucose and promote storage as glycogen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The insulin-stimulated increase in glucose uptake and storage in cells is promoted by activation of the D. PI3-kinase/Akt pathway. Insulin binds to its receptor, which starts various protein activation cascades that include the translocation of Glut-4 transporter to the plasma membrane, allowing for the influx of glucose. This process results in the increase of glucose transport into cells, especially muscle cells and the liver.
Additionally, insulin promotes the storage of glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells, stimulates the synthesis of protein in muscle, and inhibits enzymes involved in glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, which are contrary processes to glucose storage.