Expert: Florence M Rollwagen - 3/14/2009

Question
This is a re-submission of a question that I asked and somebody said..they answer it before??? Where & How?.....
"Discuss how the pancreatic endocrine hormones glucagon and insulin work antagonistically to maintain homeostasis in the body, during times of feast and times of famine. What are some of the differences in Type I and Type II diabetes in terms of risk factors, role of insulin, and treatment options?"
That was my first time?????


Answer
Hi Jerry:  This may be a re-submission for you, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it.

Insulin and glucagon work in opposition to maintain sugar homeostasis in the body.  Here’s a link:
http://www.biology-online.org/4/3_blood_sugar.htm

Type I and Type II diabetes are caused by two different mechanisms.  Type I diabetes used to be called “juvenile diabetes” because it showed up in children.  It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the B-cells of the pancreas (the insulin producing cells).  Type II diabetes was called “maturity onset” because it affected older people.  Nowadays, however, younger people can also be affected.  It is an insulin resistance diabetes, in which the body produces insulin, but it cannot affect the cells’ ability to take up glucose.

Here’s a link:  http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp

Hope this helps!  Write back if you have more questions.

FM Rollwagen, PhD