GCG

GCG may refer to:

Accelrys

Accelrys is a software company headquartered in the United States, with representation in Europe and Asia. It provides software for chemical, materials and bioscience research for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consumer packaged goods, aerospace, energy and chemical industries.

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes after an April 2014 acquisition.

History

Accelrys was formed in 2001 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Pharmacopeia, Inc. from the fusion of five companies: Molecular Simulations Inc. (MSI, itself a result of the combination of Biodesign, Cambridge Molecular Design, Polygen and, later, Biocad and Biosym Technologies), Synopsys Scientific Systems, Oxford Molecular, the Genetics Computer Group (GCG), and Synomics Ltd.

In late 2003, Pharmacopeia, Inc. separated its drug discovery and software development businesses. The drug discovery company retained the name Pharmacopeia and remained in Princeton, New Jersey, with ~170 employees. The software company, with ~530 employees and 2002 revenue of $95.1 million would move to San Diego, California.

Glucagon

Glucagon is a peptide hormone, produced by alpha cells of the pancreas. It works to raise the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream. Its effect is opposite that of insulin, which lowers the glucose.

The pancreas releases glucagon when the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream falls too low. Glucagon causes the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream. High blood-glucose levels stimulate the release of insulin. Insulin allows glucose to be taken up and used by insulin-dependent tissues. Thus, glucagon and insulin are part of a feedback system that keeps blood glucose levels at a stable level. Glucagon belongs to a family of several other related hormones.

It is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.

Function

Glucagon generally elevates the concentration of glucose in the blood by promoting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.

Glucose is stored in the liver in the form of the polysaccharide glycogen, which is a glucan (a polymer made up of glucose molecules). Liver cells (hepatocytes) have glucagon receptors. When glucagon binds to the glucagon receptors, the liver cells convert the glycogen into individual glucose molecules and release them into the bloodstream, in a process known as glycogenolysis. As these stores become depleted, glucagon then encourages the liver and kidney to synthesize additional glucose by gluconeogenesis. Glucagon turns off glycolysis in the liver, causing glycolytic intermediates to be shuttled to gluconeogenesis.