Molecular and Cellular Aspects in Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus characterized by hyperglycemia is a group of metabolic diseases caused by unbalanced regulation of the signalling cascades that mediates insulin action in the cell, defect of insulin secretion or both. The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their receptors and binding proteins constitute a family of cellular modulators that play essential roles in the regulation of growth and development. The IGF ligands include three structurally related peptides: insulin, IGF-I, and IGF-II.