Factors that control insulin action at the receptor.

The binding of insulin to its plasma membrane receptors is an important component of insulin action at the cellular level. Insulin binding is altered in a number of clinical disease states in humans, and several specific regulators of the receptor have been identified. Recent in vitro studies of receptor regulators have furthered our understanding of the interaction of insulin with its receptors and also increased our awareness of the complexity of this interaction. The importance of the plasma membrane environment around the receptor, the potential importance of receptor microaggregation to information transfer, and the coupling of receptor binding to insulin action are reviewed.