The C-peptide Signaling

For years an assumption was made that C-peptide, a byproduct of insulin biosynthesis, possessed no appreciable physiologic role. As other contributions in this volume amply testify, the time has come to re-evaluate that notion. C-peptide either directly through interaction with its specific cell-surface receptor or indirectly through an interaction with a related membrane entity, exerts a unique effect on several intracellular processes. We review here results of studies attempting to elucidate such molecular effects of C-peptide in different cell systems and tissues. Lacking a purified C-peptide receptor, we also demonstrate C-peptide effects on distinct elements of the insulin signal transduction pathways.