Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder of blood glucose metabolism. Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus is caused by autoantibody attack on the pancreatic cells, called the Islets of Langerhans, responsible for the production of insulin, the hormone required to allow glucose into cells. It is associated with a particular tissue type which conveys susceptibility, requiring exposure to some environmental agent in order for the disease to develop (see the section on auto-immune disorders). Non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is due to insulin resistance: this is a genetic disorder which is worsened by obesity. A number of different genes have been identified as increasing the risk of the development of the disease.
 
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