THE ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM AND DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

The molecular biology data accumulated during the last few years evidenced the major importance of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) in the processing of proteins translated in the ribosomes as linear amino-acid chains (primary structure of proteins) that, in order to reach their final conformation (tertiary structure), must be subject to numerous post- translational changes. These changes involve folding, rotation and packaging, taking place following the interaction between the amino- acids of the synthesized protein and the chaperones from the ER membrane or lumen or with some specific enzymes under tight pH or ionic concentration conditions (especially for Zn+2 and Ca+2). The last is present inside the ER in important amounts1-3.