Constancy of pharmacokinetic properties of the lymphocyte insulin receptor during aging.

Carbohydrate metabolism is altered during aging. Alterations at the pancreatic beta cell and at the level of peripheral sensitivity to insulin have been invoked. The T lymphocyte insulin receptor from five younger and five older men were studied. Pharmacokinetic characteristics (affinity, kd, and receptor sites per cell) were the same for both. Peripheral insensitivity at the level of the hormone receptor does not explain the altered metabolism.