Insulin-mediated capillary recruitment in skeletal muscle: is this a mediator of insulin action on glucose metabolism?

The possibility that insulin stimulates microvascular access for itself and glucose in muscle in vivo is discussed. The application of new techniques suggests that capillary recruitment is a normal part of insulin's action and that this process becomes impaired in insulin resistance. Exercise, which also leads to capillary recruitment, may involve a different mechanism than that used by insulin.