Final answer:
Human insulin produced through recombinant DNA technology is less likely to cause allergic reactions than animal insulin because it is identical to the insulin produced by the human pancreas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that human insulin is less likely to provoke an allergic reaction than cow, pig, or horse insulin is True. Insulin produced by molecular cloning is referred to as recombinant insulin. This recombinant insulin is a product of recombinant DNA technology, where genes that code for human insulin are inserted into bacteria such as E. coli. The bacteria then produce insulin that is chemically identical to human insulin and not of pig or cow origin. The insulin produced in this manner is not cheaper but is actually as effective as the insulin produced by the human pancreas and is less likely to cause allergic reactions compared to insulin extracted from animals such as pigs and cows.
Prior to the availability of recombinant human insulin, diabetics relied on animal insulin, which was effective but could cause allergic reactions due to slight differences in the insulin protein structure of different species. This was problematic for some diabetics because the immune system could recognize these differences and mount an immune response. With the development of recombinant DNA technology, scientists were able to produce large-scale quantities of human insulin that minimize the risk of allergic reactions and provide effective diabetes management.