INS and Insulin resistance: There is a growing body of experimental evidence suggesting that ucOC promotes pancreatic β-cell proliferation and insulin expression and secretion (118, 123), induces up-regelation of adiponectin in adipocytes to ameliorate insulin resistance (124), promotes release of glucagon-like peptide-1 to indirectly stimulate insulin secretion (206), and favors glucose and fatty acid uptake and utilization in muscle during exercise (121).