Pathology of Diabetes Mellitus Flashcards
What is the normal macroscopic structure of the pancreas?
Lobules of glandular tissue surrounded by fat
Insulin is secreted by what?
Beta cells (islet of langerhans)
Insulin is secreted into what?
Blood via capillaries
What is the function of Human Leukocyte Antigen?
Helps T-cells recognise self from non-self
What is insulitis?
Lymphocyte infiltration of islets (autoimmune mediated)
What is the result of insulitis?
Destruction of B cells
Reduced insulin
What is believed to be a cause of T1DM?
Environmental triggers: - Chemicals - Gut flora changed in infancy - Viral infection GENES
How are viruses suspected to cause T1DM?
Molecular mimicry
What is the cause of T2DM?
Reduced tissue sensitivity to insulin
Inability to secrete hight levels of insulin
What is T2DM?
A failure of the B-cells to meet an increased demand for insulin in the body
What is the environmental cause of T2DM?
Upper body fat mass
Increased intake of food
Lack of exercise
What is the effect of increased upper body fat mass? Why?
Increased free fatty acids in blood
Overweight adipocytes stressed to release FAs
Increased free fatty acids in blood leads to what?
Decreased insulin receptor sensitivity to insulin
How is the role of the pancreas changed in a patient with central adiposity?
More insulin is needed to move in the same amount of glucose
Decreased insulin receptor sensitivity to insulin causes what?
Decreased removal of glucose from the blood
So MORE insulin is secreted