Who discovered insulin, the hormone that plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels in the human body?

Introduction / Context:

Insulin is a life saving hormone used primarily in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Discovering insulin and learning how to use it as a therapy transformed the outlook for diabetic patients from almost certain severe complications to manageable long term treatment. This question tests your knowledge of the scientist most closely associated with the discovery of insulin, a key fact in biology, medicine and general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The substance in question is insulin, a hormone involved in blood sugar regulation.
• The focus is on the discovery of insulin as a hormone and therapeutic substance.
• The options include several scientists known for major medical discoveries.
• You are expected to identify which of these names is historically linked to insulin rather than to other discoveries.

Concept / Approach:

Frederick G Banting, a Canadian physician, is widely credited with the discovery of insulin along with his colleague Charles Best. Working in the early 1920s, they isolated insulin from the pancreas and showed that it could control blood sugar in diabetic dogs, and later in humans. This discovery led to the first effective treatment for diabetes. Banting shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this groundbreaking work. The other scientists listed made important contributions in areas such as blood circulation, microbiology, antibiotics and vaccination, but not specifically in the discovery of insulin.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Biology textbooks and medical history accounts clearly state that Banting led the team that identified insulin and tested it in diabetic patients. The dramatic improvement in patients after receiving insulin injections is one of the most famous stories in endocrinology. These sources confirm that Banting s name is inseparable from the discovery of insulin.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood in the human body, not insulin.

Louis Pasteur worked on germ theory, pasteurisation and vaccines against diseases like rabies, but did not discover insulin.

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first widely used antibiotic, which fights bacterial infections.

Edward Jenner pioneered smallpox vaccination, an early and crucial step in immunisation, but again not related to insulin.

Common Pitfalls:

Because all of the listed scientists are famous for major medical breakthroughs, it is easy to mix up who did what. A good strategy is to connect each name with a key phrase: Harvey with circulation, Pasteur with germs, Fleming with penicillin, Jenner with smallpox vaccination and Banting with insulin and diabetes. Keeping these pairs clear helps you quickly answer such questions.

Final Answer:

The discovery of insulin is credited to Frederick G Banting.