β-Cell Expansion for Therapeutic Compensation of Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Insulin resistance is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes. However, if compensated by increased insulin production, insulin resistance by itself does not lead to overt disease. Type 2 diabetes develops when this compensation is insufficient, due to defects inβ-cell function and in regulation of theβ-cell mass.β-Cell transplantation, as well as approaches that replenish or preserve the endogenousβ-cell mass, may facilitate the treatment of type 2 diabetes in patients requiring exogenous insulin.