Genomics and Pathophysiology
Diabetes is a medical disorder characterized by high levels
of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin secretion,
insulin action, or insulin production by the beta cells in the
pancreas. When insulin production is insufficient, cells become insulin resistant or respond poorly to the effects of
insulin, and glucose is not metabolized properly, nor stored
appropriately in the liver and muscles. The net effect is persistent high levels of blood glucose, poor protein synthesis,
and other metablic abnormalities (Votey, 2004).