Diabetes mellitus type 2 and primarily a lack of insulin secretion. Other potentially important mechanisms associated with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance include: increased breakdown of lipids within fat cells, resistance to and lack of incretin, high glucagon levels in the blood, increased retention of salt and water by the kidneys, and inappropriate regulation of metabolism by the central nervous system. However, not all people with insulin resistance develop diabetes, since an impairment of insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells is also required. The World Health Organization definition of diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) is for a single raised glucose reading
Epigenetics of diabetes Type 2 indicator of an increased risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. There are a number of genes involved in chromatin methylation. One of these genes encodes the enzyme Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). MTHFR is involved in reducing 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5-methyltentetrahydrofolate. This reaction is a critical step in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. The resulting product is a methyl donor that is required for CpG and histone methylation. Mutations in this gene can lead to reduced methylation at CpG sites, and these changes in methylation patterns may increase susceptibility for Type 2 Diabetes. The most common at the gene encoding MTHFR is