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Abstract: In recent years a rapid growing body of work has demonstrated that insulin, besides its metabolic effects, also stimulates systemic blood flow and tissue perfusion to enhance the delivery of nutrients to insulin sensitive tissues. It has benn suggested that these effects of insulin might support insulins primary mechanism at the cellular level to stimulate glucose disposal. The objective of the present grant application is to evaluate the effects of physiological hyperinsulinemia on the perfusion of insulin sensitive tissues by direct measurement of the distribution kinetics of the extracellular marker inulin in interstitial fluid of healthy volunteers. Results from the proposed study will add new knowledge about the potential of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake and other metabolic processes via hemodynamic as opposed to purely biochemical processes. The submitted project is a prerequisite for further planned studies investigating the hemodynamic effect of insulin during disease states such as obesity and type II diabetes.

MUG Research Units: Center for Medical Research (ZMF); Department of Internal Medicine, Joint Facilities