6E

• Type 1 Diabetes


  An autoimmune disease in which beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed, resulting in an inability to regulate blood glucose levels
• Autoimmune Disease


  A disease in which an individual's immune system initiates an immune response against their own cells
• Beta Cells


  Cells that occupy the islets of Langerhans and secrete insulin
• Autoantibodies


  Proteins created by the immune system that destroy an organism's own tissues
• Alpha Cells


  Cells that secrete the hormone glucagon
• Type 2 Diabetes


  A disease in which the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin and/or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels
• Hyperglycaemia


  The state of having blood glucose levels above the normal range (>7.8mmol/L)
• Hypoglycaemia


  The state of having blood glucose levels below the normal range (<4.9 mmol/L)
• Insulin Replacement Therapy


  The injection of insulin to maintain blood glucose levels within normal limits
• Thyroid Gland


  A butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that produces hormones that influence metabolic rate
• Endocrine System


  The collection of glands in animals responsible for producing hormones that can be transported in the bloodstream to regulate distant organs/cells
• Triiodothyronine


  A hormone produced and secreted by the thyroid gland. Also known as T4
• Endometrium


  The lining of the uterus
• Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone


  A hormone released by the hypothalamus that stimulates the anterior pituitary gland. Also known as TRH
• Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone


  A hormone released by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid gland. Also known as TSH
• Hyperthyroidism


  Overactivity of the thyroid gland, resulting in increased production and secretion of thyroid hormones
• Graves' Disease


  An autoimmune disease that causes Hyperthyroidism
• Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulin


  The antibody present in Graves' disease that is responsible for overstimulation of the thyroid gland. Also known as TSI
• Goiter


  A swelling in the neck caused by an enlarged thyroid gland
• Exophthalmos 


  A symptom of Graves' disease in which the eyes of patients bulge out of their sockets
• Hypothyroidism


  A condition in which the thyroid gland is underactive, resulting in decreased production and secretion of thyroid hormones