The Green Line

When you eat food, your intestines send out a special signal called GLP-1. This signal travels through your blood to your pancreas, where insulin is made.

In the green line, GLP-1 helps give your pancreas a message saying it’s time to start making insulin before your blood sugar gets too high. 

This is GLP-1.

After you eat, your intestines make a hormone called GLP-1. GLP-1 travels in your blood and reaches the beta cells in your pancreas.

This is the GLP-1 Receptor (GLP1R).

GLP-1 attaches to a special GLP-1 receptor on the outside of the pancreatic beta cell. GLP-1 is like a key and the GLP-1 Receptor is like a lock. The key (GLP-1) fits perfectly into the lock (GLP1R).

This is the G Protein.

Once the GLP-1 key fits into the GLP-1R lock, it unlocks a tiny switch inside the beta cell called a G protein.

This tiny G protein switch can only be turned on with the right source of energy. Right now, the switch is powered by GDP, which is like an old battery. GDP is swapped for GTP, which is like a new battery. This new power activates the G protein switch.

Watch a video that explains this process:

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