Final answer:
Insulin activity is affected by insulin receptor functionality, metabolic acidosis, and factors like genetics and diet. Insulin assists in glucose uptake, metabolism, and has a role in thermogenesis, which is a heat production process in the body. Insulin resistance, which can be induced by metabolic acidosis, directly impacts these processes and can lead to diabetes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The function of the insulin receptor is crucial for insulin activity as it triggers various processes within the body. Once insulin binds to its receptor, it induces the translocation of the Glut-4 transporter to the plasma membrane, resulting in an influx of glucose into the cell. Additionally, insulin promotes glycogen synthesis, glycolysis, and fatty acid synthesis, all of which play essential roles in glucose uptake and metabolism.
Furthermore, insulin orchestrates cellular activities by inducing targets to produce insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), which stimulate body growth and a higher metabolic rate. It also reduces blood glucose levels by enhancing glycolysis and persuading the liver to convert excess glucose into glycogen. This contributes to insulin's impact on thermogenesis, the body’s production of heat, which can be accelerated in adipose tissue in response to a cold stimulus. However, pathologies such as insulin resistance negatively affect these processes, leading to conditions like diabetes mellitus type 2.
Metabolic acidosis is known to induce insulin resistance by hampering the insulin signaling pathway, which is critical for insulin activity and consequently affects thermogenesis. It does so by inhibiting PI3K activity that, in turn, affects downstream effectors in the skeletal muscle, contributing to metabolic dysfunction. Additionally, variables like inactivity, dietary habits, genetics, body's set point, and overall metabolism can influence an individual's propensity towards insulin resistance and their rate of thermogenesis.