When ultimately faced with a diagnosis of Diabetes, education is extremely important. The pancreas is usually a bit of a mystery for most people. This thing sits in the abdomen and secretes hormones. The most famous secretion is insulin. However, getting more knowledge of this gland can help patients with Diabetes 2 comprehend more fully their diagnosis. The pancreas itself is called an endocrine gland. Its primary function is secretion of pancreatic fluid following eating. Inside the pancreas, though, are other small clusters of tissue that relate to insulin production. These go by the name of the islets of Langerhans.

The islets of Langerhans contain four different types of cells: beta, alpha, delta, and gamma. The beta cells are knowm to produce the insulin . Insulin has many roles. It helps some cells convert glucose into glycogen, which those cells use for energy. It helps convert certain amino acids into protein. It works in fat cells to take up glucose and assists in converting it into fat. Did you know it also helps reduce appetite in the hypothalamus gland. Insulin’s role in glucose regulation is how it relates directly to diabetes. Diabetes develops either when the islets of Langerhans stops producing insulin or when the muscle cells begin to lose their ability to process insulin efficiently.

Type 2 diabetes develops when muscle cells begin to lose their ability to process insulin efficiently. In normal cases, the muscle cells absorb the glucose and use insulin to turn it into glycogen. In those with diabetes, the muscle cells only convert a small portion of the glucose. For a short period, the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas will increase manufacture of insulin. However, that is indeed not sustainable in the long term. Gradually, the amount of excess glucose begins to build in the blood stream. This condition now goes by the stamp of insulin resistance. The cells require more insulin to convert the same amount of glucose.

In those with type 2 diabetes, over time, in the pancreas, the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans that produce the insulin begin to decline over time. The amount of insulin produced diminishes. This exacerbates the insulin dependency that many in the later stages of the disease exhibit. To address this, many studies attempt to restore the normal amounts of insulin generated. You might know that one area of research underway looks at the possibility of transplanting healthy islets of Langerhans into the pancreases of people with Diabetes 2. You might know there have been no successful transplants, but it is something that may indeed happen in the future.