Pancreatic Beta Cells

Diabetics, and many non-diabetics, are aware of the fact that the pancreas is responsible for producing the body's insulin supply. What they are probably not aware of is exactly how that process works.

The beta cells located within the pancreas are the ones that are responsible for making insulin. Inside the pancreas are areas which are known as islets of Langerhands. The majority of the cells located in these islets are beta cells.

Since beta cells are why insulin is efficiently produced, it stands to reason that when these cells start to die out or become damaged, this offers an opening for type 1 diabetes to originate. Type 1 is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes.

Although beta cells are damaged due to certain autoimmune processes, scientists are not exactly sure why this occurs. They do know that once the destruction begins, it represents an almost complete wiping out of the hormone.

Part of the plasma membrane of the beta cell is made up of canals. These canals are able to detect glucose levels within the blood. When beta cells detect an increase in glucose within the body, it responds in like fashion by releasing insulin.

Since the pancreas cannot be coaxed into producing more insulin, the only alternative is to introduce insulin into the body from a outside source. The common way of accomplishing this is through daily insulin injections.

Another treatment option still under research involves islet transplants. But there are several problems with this technology. One is that the transplantation only buys the patient from 1 to 5 years, at the most. Second, is the limited availability of human islet cells for transplantation.