ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Chemistry => Topic started by: sam0001 on May 12, 2012, 04:50:18 pm
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Using the protein hormone insulin to regulate blood sugar level of a person with diabetes.
Are these proteins markers of disease?
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Are you referring to insulin as a marker for disease?
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Yeah, in this case, in insulin a protein marker?
Sorry, question wasn't worded too nicely.
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My understanding of a protein marker is something that binds to a protein (eg. could be fluorescent or seen under UV, etc. during an experiment). Insulin may be able to be marked by such a protein marker, but I don't think it is the protein marker itself.
If you mean "protein marker" by a protein whose presence is an indication of a disease, I don't think insulin by itself satisfies this either. Everyone has insulin naturally, you'd have to look at insulin levels (amongst other things) for diagnosis of diabetes.
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Insulin/C-peptide isn't really used to diagnose diabetes, since it requires blood to be taken and lab investigation. The diagnosis is usually based on fasting blood glucose (how much glucose in the blood when you wake up), glucose tolerance test (how long glucose stays in the blood after you drink sugar water) and other clinical symptoms.
Protein markers of disease are just proteins that, when present, indicate disease...or at least that's my understanding. So if you have coeliac disease you are very likely to have antibodies to molecules in the body (tTG, EMA etc.). These are "markers of disease" since their presence is associated with a disease state. Hope that helped :)