Insulin signal transduction pathway (also known as glucose homeostasis) also exhibits oscillatory behavior. On a pathological basis, this topic is crucial to understanding certain disorders in the body such as diabetes, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. The functioning of a signal transduction pathway is based on extra-cellular signaling that in turn creates a response which causes other subsequent responses, hence creating a chain reaction, or cascade. During the course of signaling, the cell uses each response for accomplishing some kind of a purpose along the way. Insulin secretion mechanism is a common example of signal transduction pathway mechanism. Insulin is produced by the pancreas in a
Insulin resistance a socio-ecological adaptation with insulin being the means for differentiating energy allocation to various components of the body and insulin sensitivity an adaptation to manipulate where the energy is diverted to. The Behavioral Switch Hypothesis posits that insulin resistance results in two methods to alter reproductive strategies and behavioral methods. The two strategies are coined as “r to K” and “soldier to diplomat.” The r to K strategy involves diverting insulin via placenta to the fetus. This has demonstrated weight gain in the fetus, but not the mother indicating a method of increased parental investment (K strategy). In the “soldier