This line shows many of proteins and organelles inside the cell that turn on to make and release insulin.

This is Adenylyl Cyclase (AC).

Once the G protein switch from the green subway line is powered up, it can be switched on and activates another protein called Adenylyl cyclase (AC).

In the orange subway line, ATP (the cell’s energy source) was made from glucose (sugar). AC turns ATP into cAMP.

This is cAMP.

cAMP is a tiny and very ancient messenger inside the beta cell that passes along the message to make and release insulin.

Now that AC is activated, it can make cAMP. Then, cAMP can tell the beta cell to start releasing insulin to lower your blood sugar.

This is Protein Kinase A (PKA).

PKA is a helper that gets turned on by cAMP and starts a chain reaction inside the cell to help make insulin.

This is the Nucleus.

The nucleus is the control center of the cell.

PKA moves into the Nucleus.

This is CREB.

CREB is a helper in the nucleus called a Transcription Factor. Transcription Factors help the cell start writing the instructions to make insulin.

This is Insulin mRNA.

Insulin mRNA is the written instructions the control center (nucleus) of the cell makes. It’s like an instruction manual that tells the cell exactly how to build insulin.

This is the Ribosome.

The ribosome is like a factory. It reads the insulin instruction manual (insulin mRNA) and starts putting the insulin pieces together.

This is the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER).

The ER is a part of the cell that checks and folds many new proteins, making sure each one is shaped correctly before it moves on.

After the ribosome puts the insulin pieces together, the ER folds the new big insulin molecule just right so that it can do its job. It’s like folding a paper airplane the right way so it can fly properly.