Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by high blood sugar and poor insulin performance. Early diagnosis of the disease is key to preventing major systemic (whole body) complications. Long-standing or poorly controlled diabetes increases the risk of significant damage to organs including the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.
Pancreatic Overexertion In Type 2 Diabetes
Sustained high blood sugar is common to type 2 diabetes. Sugary blood passing through the pancreas triggers an insulin release from a group of specialized cells called "beta cells." Insulin attempts to remove sugar from the bloodstream by pushing it into body tissues, especially muscles. However, resistance to the action of insulin at the body tissues prohibits sugar's clearance from the blood. Consequently, the beta cells overexert themselves, but fail to lower blood sugar due to the body tissues' inability to absorb it.
Complications
Sustained hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) increases blood fats. Chronic exposure of the beta cells to blood fats is thought to reduce insulin production and prompt an inflammatory effect. Though not well understood, chronic inflammation appears to damage the genes used in insulin production and possibly destroy the beta cells completely.
Pancreatic Exhaustion
Over time, the bloodstream's toxicity and the demand on the beta cells to compensate become extreme. Even if resistance at body tissues is medically managed, the cells may eventually fatigue. Some prescription drugs coerce the pancreas into temporarily heightening insulin production, but ultimately the beta cells become exhausted. In this case, insulin taken by injection or external pump and other medications become mandatory to restore optimal values of blood sugar and fats.
Pancreatic Destruction In Type 1 Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, for unknown reasons, the body's immune defenses destroy the insulin-making cells in the pancreas early in life. Repair or regeneration of these cells within the body is impossible, so no insulin will ever be produced. Rather, insulin must be delivered by injection or external pump for the diabetic's life.
Less Impacted Pancreatic Cells
Several other types of cells exist in the pancreas that are less negatively impacted by diabetes and may some day help treat the disease. These include the alpha cells, whose role is to increase blood sugar, and acini cells, whose functions pertain to digestion. Since these cells are functional in diabetics, research is underway to determine if they (particularly the acini cells) may be reprogrammed to produce insulin for persons lacking beta cell function.
References
- "Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition"; Adipose, inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease; Shah, Arti. et al; November 2008
- "Diabetic Medicine"; The importance of free fatty acids in the development of Type 2 diabetes; Wilding, JP; September 2007
- "Nature"; In vivo reprogramming of adult pancreatic exocrine cells to beta-cells; Zhou Q, et al; 2008
