Diabetes

• How many people in the UK are suffering from diabetes?

  Over 3 million people
• What is diabetes?

  It is a condition in which the homeostatic control of blood glucose has failed
• What happens to insulin function in individuals with diabetes?

  Insulin function is disrupted, allowing blood glucose concentration to rise
• Why does excess glucose appear in urine for individuals with diabetes?

  The kidneys are unable to filter out the excess glucose in the blood
• What effect does increased glucose concentration have on the kidneys?

  It causes the kidneys to produce large quantities of urine, leading to dehydration
• What are the two different types of diabetes?

  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
• What characterizes Type 1 diabetes?

  The pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin to control blood glucose levels
• When does Type 1 diabetes typically begin?

  It normally begins in childhood
• What causes Type 1 diabetes?

  An autoimmune response where the immune system attacks the B cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
• What do the B cells in the pancreas do?

  They detect high blood sugar and synthesize insulin
• What can happen if blood glucose concentration reaches dangerously high levels after a meal?

  Organ damage can occur
• How is Type 1 diabetes treated?

  With regular blood tests, insulin injections, and a diabetes-appropriate diet
• What dietary recommendations do health authorities give to diabetics?

  Eat a similar diet to the general public, including five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• What types of insulin can be used by diabetics?

  Fast-acting or slow-acting insulin
• What is the outcome for a Type 1 diabetic who manages their condition well?


  They can live a very full life
• What is the primary issue in Type 2 diabetes?

  Cells of the body become resistant to insulin or insufficient insulin is produced by the pancreas
• At what age does Type 2 diabetes usually develop?

  It usually develops in those aged 40 and over
• What is a common characteristic of Type 2 diabetes regarding insulin receptors?

  The receptors have reduced in number and no longer respond to insulin
• What happens due to the lack of response to insulin in Type 2 diabetes?

  There is reduced glucose uptake, leading to uncontrolled high blood glucose concentration
• What can happen if B cells produce larger amounts of insulin in Type 2 diabetes?

  It can humanely damage the B cells
• What are the initial treatments for early-stage Type 2 diabetes?

  A sugar and fat controlled diet and an exercise regime
• What type of food causes a sudden spike in blood sugar?

  Food that is rapidly digested into sugar
• What are the known risk factors for Type 2 diabetes?

  • Obesity
  • Physical inactivity
  • High blood pressure
  • High blood cholesterol
  • Genetics
  • Specific ethnic groups
• How does obesity influence the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes?

  Obesity is a known risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes
• How does physical inactivity relate to Type 2 diabetes?

  Physical inactivity is a known risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes
• What role does genetics play in Type 2 diabetes?


  Having a relative with Type 2 diabetes makes an individual more likely to develop it
• Which ethnic groups are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes?

  Specific ethnic groups are more likely to develop the condition
• What are the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in terms of cause and treatment?

  Type 1:

  • Cause: Inability of pancreas to produce insulin
  • Treatment: Monitoring blood glucose levels and injecting human insulin

  
  

  Type 2:

  • Cause: Cells become resistant to insulin or insufficient insulin produced
  • Treatment: Maintain a low-carbohydrate diet and regular exercise
• How does poorly controlled diabetes affect blood pressure?

  It often leads to high blood pressure
• What causes the increase in blood pressure in individuals with poorly controlled diabetes?

  The high blood glucose concentration lowers the water potential of the blood, causing more water to move into blood vessels
• What is recombinant DNA?

  DNA that has been altered by introducing nucleotides from another source
• What is a transgenic organism?

  An organism that contains nucleotides from a different species
• What are genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

  Any organism that has introduced genetic material
• What are recombinant proteins?

  Manipulated forms of the original protein produced using microorganisms
• Why are eukaryotic cells preferred for producing recombinant human proteins?

  They carry out the post-translational modification required to produce suitable human proteins
• What was the first recombinant human protein approved for diabetes treatment?

  Insulin
• How are bacteria plasmids modified to produce insulin?

  They are modified to include the human insulin gene
• What is the role of restriction endonucleases in producing recombinant insulin?


  They are used to cut open plasmids
• What is the function of DNA ligase in recombinant DNA technology?

  It is used to splice the plasmid and human DNA together
• How are recombinant plasmids introduced into Escherichia coli?

  By transformation using calcium ions and heat or electric shock