Although numerous signaling pathways have been implicated in insulin action, few appear to be sufficiently specific to perform the hormone’s unique role in glucose and lipid metabolism. The Saltiel lab is investigating the role of spatial compartmentalization in signal initiation and reception that may resolve this dilemma.
One important question concerns the importance of these new pathways in disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism. Type 2 diabetes is associated with insulin resistance, a common disorder in which patients do not respond to normal circulating concentrations of insulin. The precise function of these pathways, and their roles in the pathogenesis of diabetes are under investigation, with the goal of developing new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of diabetes and related disorders.
