Figure 1 | Scientific Reports

Figure 1

From: Computational Analysis of Insulin-Glucagon Signalling Network: Implications of Bistability to Metabolic Homeostasis and Disease states

Figure 1

Integrated insulin-glucagon signalling network. Bold lines represent positive feedbacks (→), negative feedbacks (—|) and crosstalks (---›) in the network. There are three modules in the network, namely - insulin signalling, glucagon signalling and blood. Glucose, amino acids & fatty acids are the input macronutrients present in plasma. Based on the amount of these macronutrients in different physiological situations, pancreas secrete different amounts insulin and glucagon in plasma. These hormones then trigger corresponding signalling pathways in tissues like liver, fat and muscle. Insulin and glucagon signalling modules act antagonistically to each other with the help of crosstalks (AKTp activating PDE3 which promotes cAMP degradation in glucagon signalling; and DAG activates PKC which inhibits IRS in insulin signalling) and feedbacks. When insulin signalling fluxes are greater than glucagon signalling fluxes, net metabolic state is anabolic; and when glucagon signalling fluxes are greater than insulin signalling fluxes, net metabolic state is catabolic.

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