In this drawing, the cells on the left show healthy, insulin producing cells. The one on the right shows beta cells which have been destroyed and are no longer capable of producing insulin. The girl is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. If there were still insulin producing cells present, then you would have Type 2 diabetes.

1.Clinical onset of diabetes may be abrupt, but the pathophysiologic insult is a slow, progressive phenomenon.

2.Hyperglycemia and symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes develop only after 90% of the secretory capacity of the beta cell mass has been destroyed.

3. Genetics, environmental influences, viral infections and antibodies are involved in the onset of Type 1 diabetes

Reference: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/overview/#what

Image used with permission of AllRefer Health http://health.allrefer.com

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