C-peptide and insulin level

C-peptide is a particle that participates in the formation of insulin. It is part of the proinsulin molecule. When the c-peptide cleaves from the proinsulin molecule, a new substance, insulin, appears as a result of this. This particle, like insulin, can be found in the blood of a person. However, the decay of this substance is much slower than the breakdown of insulin, so the ratio of these two substances in the blood is 5 to 1 in favor of insulin. And therefore it is much more effective to take an analysis of the c-peptide in the blood than insulin.

C-peptide is an inactive biologically active substance, and in fact it plays only one role - the formation of insulin. In proinsulin cells there are two main types of peptides - A and B. They are joined by a third, C. As soon as A and B fall off, insulin forms. In fact, it is a check, pulling it off proinsulin, we get the above hormone. The indicator of the amount of insulin is the C-peptide. The rate of it on an empty stomach varies from 0, 53 to 2, 9 ng / ml. There is a direct relationship between the amounts of these substances. C-peptide is elevated - hence, insulin is elevated. In addition, analyzes of the c-peptide will help distinguish the artificially insulin from the produced in the body. Unlike the vital hormone, which is so necessary for the processing of glucose, the C-peptide is not associated with liver receptors, but in the bloodstream it is in the same concentration as in the portal vein. Also, its analysis allows us to assess the state of β-cells in pancreatic people suffering from diabetes and receiving treatment in the form of insulin, artificially introduced into the body. Also such analyzes will allow to define and analyze fluctuations of a level of insulin during its delay in a liver.

And now a little more. Proinsulin is produced by beta cells of the pancreas. Further, this substance breaks down into a substance that from that moment is practically unnecessary to the human body, and a vital hormone. However, you can compare these two substances with close relatives who are nowhere without each other. Where C-peptide, there is insulin, because both are produced from the same substance. It is for this reason that the quantity of c-peptide is an indicator of both the work of beta cells and the level of insulin in the body. If, for some unknown reason, immunity starts an attack on cells that manufacture insulin, then in this case we get diabetes mellitus of the first level. In other words, more and more glucose accumulates in the blood, but it does not enter the cells, since insulin, which, alas, is no longer produced, is the "key" for it. If the cells for some reason do not obey the signals of this hormone, then, figuratively speaking, the cells gate does not open, and glucose does not pass through them. And in this case there is diabetes of the second level. The picture is the same - the level of glucose in the blood gradually starts to go off scale, and there is nowhere to put this glucose, because it can not enter the cells in any way. At the same time, the known indicator of the insulin level is often increased, however, it can be lowered in this case.

Cells do not hear the signal of one of the most important hormones of the pancreas mainly due to the fact that there is a violation of substances that causes obesity. It is for this reason that diabetes of the second level is often called "diabetes of obese people". In case of diabetes of the first level, the C-peptide level is below the norm, and in case of diabetes of the second level this substance is more than necessary. So, in the first case, there is no insulin, and therefore glucose does not penetrate the cells. In the second - it is, and even in abundance, but the cells do not listen to it, and therefore glucose also can not enter the cells in any way. In other words, the material that is necessary for the vital functions of cells becomes inaccessible to them. And so diabetes is so serious a disease.

The level of C-peptide is reduced or increases in parallel with the level of insulin. If this indicator in the blood is present in insufficient quantity, the hormone norm is also understated. Conversely, when there is too much C-peptide, this probably indicates that there is also an excess of insulin. There are reasons for both the shortage and the excess of the hormone that supplies the cells, and they are not always associated with diabetes. It often happens that the C-peptide is above the norm also because of insulinoma or renal insufficiency in a chronic form. Well, his decline is most likely due to diabetes.