Blood Sugar, Determination

Response measurement The earliest conception of the most informative measure of response called for a blood sugar determination to be made before injection and at hourly intervals after the injection for a period of five hours. The mean fall in blood sugar level was then expressed as a percentage of the initial level. Such a response is still retained in the method described in the B.P. but the U.S.P. method relies on the mean blood sugar level at one and two hours after injection without reference to the initial level. It is considered that a determination made ninety minutes after injection without reference to the initial level is an adequate measure of insulin effect. 

Used as a diagnostic aid in blood sugar determinations. Used as 0.02-0.1% soln. in EtOH for extraction-photometric detn. of Cu(7) 545 nm, e 7900, pH 5-... 

Natural derivatives of sugars 184 Box 4-C The Blood Group Determinants... 

Crystals of human insulin. Insulin is a protein hormone, crucial for maintaining blood sugar at appropriate levels. (Below) Chains of amino acids in a specific sequence (the primary structure) define a protein like insulin. These chains fold into well-defined structures (the tertiary structure) in this case a single insulin molecule. Such structures assemble with other chains to form arrays such as the complex of six insulin molecules shown at the far right (the quartemary structure). These arrays can often be induced to form well-defined crystals (photo at left), which allows determination of these structures in detail. [(Left) Alfred Pasieka/Peter Arnold.]... 

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