Joslin Diabetes Center-led Study Indicates Insulin Receptors Play a Critical Role in Promoting Islet Growth to Overcome Insulin Resistance

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A new Joslin-led study has identified the insulin receptor as an important protein that promotes islet cell growth in mice whose bodies are unable to use insulin properly, or are insulin resistant, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Since the body's natural response to insulin resistance is to increase insulin secretion from the pancreas and grow more islet cells, also known as beta cells, harnessing this growth response could lead to new treatments for type 2 diabetes. The study appears in the early online edition of this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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