Diabetes mellitus type 1 According to the current definition, two fasting glucose measurements above 126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) is considered diagnostic for diabetes mellitus. In type 1, pancreatic beta cells in the islets of Langerhans are destroyed, decreasing endogenous insulin production. This distinguishes type 1's origin from type 2. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, while type 1 diabetes is characterized by insulin deficiency, generally without insulin resistance. Another hallmark of type 1 diabetes is islet autoreactivity, which is generally measured by the presence of autoantibodies directed towards the beta cells. The appearance of diabetes-related autoantibodies has been shown to be able
Epigenetics of diabetes Type 2 that becomes diabetic falls under these categories. However, what has become clear is that there are multiple loci which increase a person’s susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes. One study examined a multitude of papers, creating a detailed list of epigenetic modifications and loci associated with Type 2 diabetes. Prominent among these, was DNA methylation, or lack thereof. After examining Type 2 diabetes patients, it was found that levels of homocysteine were exceptionally high when compared to levels in individuals without the disease. Homocysteine is an intermediate that is responsible for maintaining methylation reactions in critical metabolic processes. It can be