Newly discovered gene regulates hyperglycemia-induced beta cell death in type 2 diabetes
It’s no secret that over time, elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) can induce the death of the pancreatic beta cells. The death of these cells, which are responsible for the production of insulin, underlies much of the pathology of diabetes.
Exactly how and why they die is not fully understood, but a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal by a team of Korean scientists, suggests that a protein called, “TSPAN2” may play a key role hyperglycemia-induced beta cell death and might serve as a new therapeutic target. Read more . . .