Question:medium

(a) Name the source from which insulin was extracted in earlier times. Why is this insulin no more in use by the diabetic patients?
Answer:
Source: Pancreas of pigs and cows. Reason: Animal insulin caused allergic reactions in some patients due to structural differences from human insulin. (b) Why does the insulin synthesized in the human body undergo processing whereas the insulin produced by Eli Lilly company does not need to undergo any processing? Explain.

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Recombinant DNA technology allows the production of human insulin, minimizing allergic reactions.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Source: Porcine and bovine pancreas. Reason: Allergic reactions in some patients due to structural discrepancies between animal and human insulin. (b) Explain why human-synthesized insulin requires processing while Eli Lilly's manufactured insulin does not.
% Solution Solution: Human insulin is synthesized as proinsulin and necessitates C-peptide removal. Eli Lilly manufactures ready-to-use recombinant insulin, eliminating the need for subsequent processing.
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