The Discovery of Insulin and the Eternal Flame of Hope

The Discovery of Insulin and the Eternal Flame of Hope

Sub: Sci

Sec : Health

Why in News

• World Diabetes Day, observed on November 14 each year, commemorates the birth anniversary of Sir Frederick Banting, the co-discoverer of insulin. This date is a tribute to one of the most significant medical discoveries that revolutionized diabetes treatment. Additionally, the “Flame of Hope,” a perpetual flame in Canada, honours Banting’s contribution and symbolizes the ongoing search for a definitive cure for diabetes.

Role of Insulin and the Endocrine System:

• The human body’s endocrine glands release hormones, chemical messengers that regulate various bodily functions.
• Hormones are produced in minute quantities, ranging from 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻¹² grams, and travel through the bloodstream to impact distant organs and tissues.
• Unlike the nervous system, which relies on a network of neurons, the endocrine system transmits instructions from the brain throughout the body without a specific anatomical pathway.
• Role of the Pancreas: The pancreas functions as both an endocrine and exocrine organ, playing a key role in blood sugar regulation through insulin production.
• Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is crucial in maintaining normal blood glucose levels.

Historical Context:

• In 1869, Paul Langerhans identified clusters of specialized cells in the pancreas, now known as the “islets of Langerhans,” hinting at the organ’s endocrine function.
• In 1889, German scientists Oskar Minkowski and Joseph von Mering demonstrated a direct connection between the pancreas and blood sugar control by surgically removing a dog’s pancreas, which led to diabetic symptoms.
• Banting and Best successfully isolated insulin from the islets of Langerhans through experiments on dogs.
• Biochemist James Collip later joined the team and played a crucial role in refining the insulin extraction process, making it safe and effective for human use.
• On January 11, 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old diabetic patient, received the first insulin injection, which initially caused an allergic reaction due to impurities.
• Collip improved the purification process, and a second injection on January 23, 1922, led to a significant reduction in blood glucose levels without adverse effects.
• In 1923, Banting and Macleod were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of insulin, just a year after its success.
• Controversy arose as Banting felt that Charles Best deserved recognition instead of Macleod, while Macleod believed James Collip’s contribution was crucial. In a gesture of fairness, Banting shared half of his Nobel Prize money with Best, and Macleod did the same with Collip.
• Decades later, the Nobel Committee acknowledged that Charles Best’s exclusion was an oversight.

Recombinant DNA Technology:

• In the 1980s, scientists utilized recombinant DNA technology, inserting the human insulin gene into Escherichia coli bacteria using plasmids—small DNA molecules capable of replication.
• This allowed bacteria to produce large quantities of insulin identical to human insulin, enabling mass production and meeting global demand.

The Eternal Flame:

• In 1989, Queen Elizabeth II lit the “Flame of Hope” in Sir Frederick Banting Square, London, Ontario, Canada, to commemorate Banting’s discovery of insulin.
• This flame symbolizes the commitment to ongoing research until a complete cure for diabetes is found. It will remain lit until that goal is achieved.

About Type 1 diabetes:

• An absolute lack of insulin, usually due to destruction of theinsulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, is the main problem in type 1 diabetes.
• It is to be due to an autoimmune process, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly targets its own tissues. 
• This tendency for the immune system to destroy the beta cells of the pancreas is likely to be, at least in part, genetically inherited,although the exact reasons that this process happens are not fully understood.
• Insulin Dependence: This leads to a lifelong dependence on externally administered insulin to manage blood sugar levels.

About Type 2 diabetes:

• People who have type 2 diabetes can still produce insulin, but do so relatively inadequately for their body’s needs. 
• Genetics plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, and having a family history and close relatives with the condition increases your risk; however, there are other risk factors, with obesity being the most significant.

Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: