Diabetes and treatment

• Type 1 diabetes

  • auto-immune disease
  • attacks and destroys beta cells of islets of langerhans that secrete insulin
  • no insulin produced
• Type 1 - result of no insulin production

  • blood glucose don't lower after eating food
  • kidneys do not reabsorb glucose, so it is excreted in the urine
  • develops in children or young adults
• Type 2 diabetes


  • not enough insulin is produced
  • body cells do not respond to insulin properly
• Type 2 - result of bad insulin action

  • insulin receptors dont work properly
  • not enough glucose is taken in by cels
  • blood glucose concentration is higher than usual
  • acquired later in life, linked to obesity
• Type 1 treatment

  • insulin injections or a pump beneath the skin
  • islet cell transplantation (stem cells)
  • careful diet and regular exercise
• Type 2 treatment

  • life style changes - healthy, balanced diet, regular exercise, losing weight
  • insulin therapy
  • medication that affects sensitivity to insulin or insulin production
• Insulin extraction

  • used to be extracted from animals
  • now made from genetically modified bacteria
  • GM bacteria is cheaper, can make HUMAN insulin which is more effective than other animal's insulin, better in terms of ethics