beta-cell neogenesis in type 2 diabetes.

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is associated with inappropriate insulin secretion at diagnosis; whether this is due to a decrease in beta-cell mass is unclear. Morphological studies of postmortem specimens have demonstrated a relatively small change or no change in the population of beta-cells, with the most dramatic change being a 30% reduction (1–3). Some of the reduction in mass of beta-cells arises from the destructive effects of islet amyloid fibrils (4). However, it remains to be shown if type 2 diabetes is associated with quantitative or qualitative (functional) changes in islet beta-cells.