Pancreatic Beta Cells

Beta cells are a type of cell found in the pancreas, responsible for secreting insulin. Insulin is a hormone which is resonsible for regulating the levels of glucose on the blood. When the blood glucose level rises, beta cells respond to it quickly by secreting stored insulin while at the same time increasing the production of the hormone. Loss of insulin-producing beta cells has long been recognised as a cause of type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes the immune system mistakenly attackes and destroys beta cells. Recent researches have concluded that a deficiency of functioning beta cells is an important contributor to type 2 diabetes, most common type that occurs in adults.