Question

Humulin is
a. A form of chitin
b. A human insulin
c. A powerful antibiotic
d. An enzyme

Answer 1

Hint: Modern genetic engineering techniques use human DNA and combine it with a host by inserting it into the host cell such as E. coli. The host cell then permits the DNA to grow and reproduce and as the human DNA is inserted, the new DNA formed has a synthetic version of it. Humulin is the first genetically engineered medication produced using recombinant DNA technique.

Complete answer:
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the cells of pancreas that help in absorbing glucose present in the food, and then to use or store it. Sometimes, either the insulin is not produced in enough quantity by the pancreas, or the human body is not capable of properly using it. In these cases, glucose cannot be used and it causes accumulation of glucose in the blood resulting in diabetes. For the treatment in such cases, artificial or synthetic insulin is injected to the person to lower the glucose level in the blood.

As the name suggests, the word Humulin is the combination of two words, “Human + Insulin”. Humulin is synthetic insulin made by genetically engineered recombinant DNA. It got a license to be used in humans in 1982.

To produce humulin, a small piece of DNA taken from the plasmid and on its place human insulin is added, producing a genetically recombinant plasmid. When this plasmid is introduced into bacteria, it starts dividing and producing more and more insulin. Then the insulin is filtered and is given to the diabetes patients.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Humulin is a sterile suspension which is usually white in colour. Each millilitre of humulin has 100 units of normal insulin (biosynthetic). It also contains glycerol and metacresol along with dimethicone, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. The pH is maintained at 7-7.5.