Role of clusters in insulin-regulated GLUT4 trafficking in adipose cells: A new paradigm?

Jian Yang^✉

1. EDMNS, Diabetes Branch, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
2. Department of Physiology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, USA.

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Citation:
Yang J. Role of clusters in insulin-regulated GLUT4 trafficking in adipose cells: A new paradigm?. Int J Biol Sci 2010; 6(7):716-718. doi:10.7150/ijbs.6.716. Available from https://www.ijbs.com/v06p0716.htm

Abstract

Insulin stimulates glucose transport in muscle and adipose cells by stimulating translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane. In a recent Cell Metabolism paper, Stenkula et al. found that insulin controls the spatial distribution of GLUT4 on the surface of isolated adipose cells through regulation of their post-fusion dispersal. The presence of GLUT4 in plasma membrane-associated clusters is suggestive of a new paradigm in membrane protein recycling.

Keywords: Adipocyte, GLUT4, exocytosis, endocytosis, insulin resistance