Publications

Abstract

As the worldwide prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to rise, there is mounting evidence that failure of the cells which make insulin - termed pancreatic beta (or beta) cells, play a fundamental role at all stages in the pathogenesis. Beta-cell defects such as loss of the initial (first) phase of insulin secretion and inefficient insulin synthesis are seen years prior to the onset of type 2 diabetes. Later, it is the failure of beta cells to adequately respond to the demand for high insulin requirements that determines the onset of hyperglycaemia leading to the clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. In this chapter, we will discuss the various proposed mechanisms of beta-cell failure in type 2 diabetes and address recent controversies in this field of research.