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Immunoassay reagents intended to perform qualitative and/or quantitative analyses of a sample of body fluids (typically serum or urine) to determine insulin, a protein hormone produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Insulin stimulates the uptake of glucose into fat and muscle, inhibits glucose production by the liver, inhibits protein breakdown, and promotes the conversion of glucose to glycogen or fat for storage. Both isotopic and nonisotopic methods are used for insulin determinations. Insulin tests are primarily used in the evaluation of patients with fasting hypoglycemia, but not for the general diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.
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