Role of pancreatic hormones in the development of diabetes
- Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells results in type 1 diabetes. These patients are deficient in both insulin and amylin.
- Peripheral insulin resistance (i.e., reduced insulin sensitivity) followed by beta cell failure is the predominate pathologic finding in type 2 diabetes.
- These patients have relative deficiency of both insulin and amylin. Both genetic and environmental factors (e.g., obesity) play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
- Other types of diabetes include destruction of the pancreas (e.g., cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis), genetic disorders (e.g., maturity onset diabetes of the young, mitochondrial disorders) and medications (e.g., steroids).
- These disorders have varying effect on beta cell mass, beta cell function, or insulin action.
