INS and metabolic syndrome: Conversely, in MetS cardiomyocytes glucose uptake was not significantly increased in response to insulin (mean ± SEM in fmol/mg of protein/min: Basal: 70 ± 12; Insulin: 80 ± 15; Fig 2B), indicating that the systemic IR state of the MetS rats, was also reflected in a diminished insulin response in isolated cardiomyocytes.