Question

Which of the following is NOT one of the effects of the hormone insulin?

1) glycogen synthesis
2) gluconeogenesis in the liver
3) stimulation of cells to uptake and utilize glucose
4) synthesis of fat

Answer 1

Gluconeogenesis in the liver is NOT an effect of insulin; rather, insulin inhibits this process. Insulin's effects include glycogen synthesis, glucose uptake by cells, and fat synthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the effects of the hormone insulin. Among the listed options, gluconeogenesis in the liver is NOT one of the effects of insulin. In fact, insulin inhibits gluconeogenesis. The effects of insulin include glycogen synthesis, stimulation of cells to uptake and utilize glucose for energy, and synthesis of fat, which is the synthesis of triglycerides.

Insulin promotes the uptake of glucose from the blood into cells, especially muscle and adipose (fat) cells, through increasing the translocation of glucose transporters (like GLUT4) to the cell membrane. Once inside the cells, glucose can be used for energy production or stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells. Additionally, insulin inhibits the breakdown of glycogen back into glucose (glycogenolysis) and the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, which is the process of gluconeogenesis.