Discovery: Physiological factors partially responsible for the existance of diabetes.

 

New Hormone

A new hormone, resistin, named for resistance to insulin, was recently discovered (Steppan et al., 2001). Resistin, a unique signaling molecule produced in fat cells, prompts tissue resistance to insulin and the subsequent glucose uptake triggered by insulin. These findings point to resistin as a key that links obesity to Type II diabetes mellitus.

Depleted protein levels

Abel et al.(2001) found yet another potential contributor to type II diabetes in obese individuals. They discovered that increased resistance to insulin occurs when levels of a specialized sugar-carrying protein (GLUT4) are depleted in fat cells. These findings suggest that fat cells inhibit glucose uptake in other body tissues that are exposed to insulin.