How was insulin primarily obtained from the 1930s to the 1980s?

From the 1930s to the 1980s, insulin was primarily obtained from porcine (pig) and bovine (cow) sources. This process involved extracting insulin from the pancreas of these animals, as human insulin was not commercially available at that time. The animal-derived insulin was used to treat diabetes, and the biological similarities between porcine and bovine insulin compared to human insulin made it effective for managing blood glucose levels in diabetic patients.

The method of extracting insulin from animal sources was the standard practice for several decades because it was the most feasible option available before advances in technology.

During this period, the other options for obtaining insulin were not the primary methods: synthetic production in laboratories was not feasible until biotechnology advanced significantly, human recombinant DNA technology was developed much later (in the 1980s), and plant-based sources were not utilized for insulin production during this time frame. Therefore, the use of porcine and bovine extracts represents the historical norm for insulin production before the introduction of recombinant DNA technology, which has since revolutionized insulin manufacturing.