Autoimmune type 1 diabetes: resolved and unresolved issues

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes, also known as either juvenile diabetes (because of the early age of onset) or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (because of the clinical need for insulin), is now widely thought to be an organ-specific autoimmune disease. Here we wish to summarize some generally accepted facts about this disease and then give our perspectives on unresolved issues surrounding prediction, pathogenesis, and treatment. In particular, we will discuss markers of the disease, such as autoantibodies against pancreatic islet cell antigens.