Effect of permanent starvation on the insulin receptors of the nuclear envelope of Tetrahymena.

Insulin receptors of Tetrahymena following a two-hour starvation (one cell generation) can bind the insulin similarly to the fed, control cells. The nuclear envelope of Tetrahymena cells which have already met the hormone (imprinted cells) can bind the insulin significantly stronger than the control. This binding capacity has a mild decrease after a two-hour starvation; after 18-hour starvation the decreasing effect is more expressed and reaches the control level. On the ground of the experiments it is probable that the insulin receptors of the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope are identical.