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Insulin Production

Key Stage 4 Higher

Meaning

Insulin production is how insulin is made to treat diabetics.

About Insulin Production

Before genetic engineering insulin was gathered from the pancreases of pigs which had been slaughtered for meat.
Insulin is produced currently by genetically modified bacteria which have had the gene coding for insulin inserted into a plasmid in the bacteria.
The gene which codes for the synthesis of insulin can be removed from a human cell using a special enzyme. This gene is then inserted into the plasmid of a bacteria using another enzyme. The bacteria is then encouraged to reproduce. This new colony of bacteria synthesise insulin.