A type 1 diabetic mystery is why do some Type 1s get complications and others seem to never get them? A massive Japanese study of Type 1 diabetics found that those with fulminant diabetes developed complications much faster and more severely than those with non-fulminant diabetes.

The difference between fulminant and non-fulminant is the speed and intensity at which the disease develops. Fulminant Type 1 diabetes typically develops suddenly with near total loss of beta cell function. This type of diabetes is confirmed with testing c-peptide levels. Non-fulminant type 1 diabetes has residual c-peptide levels that eventually taper to undetectable. Sometimes this is seen through many years of the Honeymoon Period.

This study may be the antithesis of conventional wisdom for preventing complications. Staking all hopes on blood sugar control is heavily optimistic. Yes controlling blood sugar does lessen the workload for existing beta cells, and thus extends the lifespan of each beta cell. Research suggests that c-peptide offers protection to beta cells, both from apoptosis (cell death) and encourages new cell growth. This new cell growth applies to beta cells and other cells of the body that endure long-term Type 1 diabetes complications.

Diabetics are instructed that maintaining normal blood sugars is the Holy Grail of preventing long-term complications. Yes and no. The truth is controlling your blood sugar will not allow complications of Type 1 diabetes to develop as quickly, presuming you still had some level of beta cell function upon diagnosis (i.e., c-peptide). That doesn't sound like a reward as much as it does a delayed punishment. I'd like c-peptide with my insulin, please. It's off the à la carte menu? That's fine - serve it up! I want to thank Klausen for bringing this study to my attention.

Ed Hinerman, a life insurance specialist with the Hinerman Group, was posed an interesting challenge recently. For years he has successfully found affordable life insurance for many adults with type 1 diabetes, but he had never been asked about life insurance for children with Type 1 diabetes until now.

After speaking with underwriters in the top 40 or so companies, he found a discernible lack of interest due to lack of data. Companies would say that they couldn't consider someone with type 1 diabetes until they were either age 15 or age 20. A peer in the industry told Ed the knee jerk reaction was because insurance companies haven't done mortality studies on children. They simply don't have any data upon which to base the pricing for products. Uh oh!! That coupled with the fact that there really isn't any financial incentive for them to study and create products for a relatively small market that would produce relatively low premium, kind of sets the tone. Well, now the war has been defined and the battles are becoming clearer.

When Ed contacted the ADA for assistance in this matter - hold your breath (it's a shocker!) - they turned a cold shoulder on a diabetic's need. What if the diabetic's parents were doing what so many families do - and trying to buy a whole life policy to help pay for their kids college someday? It's really not fair! Here's where fair begins -- Ed asked me to gather some facts it will take to get the insurance companies attention. Does anybody have any idea of the mortality rate of children after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes?

Bottom line. Life insurance companies make big money and for them to cut and run from children just because it might not make them more big bucks, or because they really haven't done their homework and aren't interested in doing it, isn't acceptable. Game on! I hope we can make a good showing, at the very least - hit one out of the park for the fans. Thanks for inviting me to play, Ed!

Oramed is developing a soft gel insulin capsule for the treatment of diabetes. The company has recently announced it the successful completion of its clinical trial demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the oral insulin gel capsule.

The pills were shown to reduce blood sugar, with no significant adverse effects. The insulin used in the gel caps is a generic brand of human insulin. The duration of the insulin is similar to Regular. But the most beautiful thing about these gel caps is that they reintroduce the liver into glucose metabolism, thereby reducing the likelihood of dangerous lows associated with injected insulin and oral medications. This could blow away the necessity of blood sugar testing because you are regulating glucose metabolism in the liver, like a person without diabetes.

Up until now, the idea of insulin pills or tablets was inconceivable due to the fact that insulin, when swallowed, breaks down in the digestive system. Oramed's patented technology overcame the problem of digestion as well as permeability to the intestine. The company's goal is for the completion of formal Phase 1 studies in the US by mid-2008. Sign me up!

I contacted Novo Nordisk back in March to tell them about the remarkable effects C-peptide had on reversing complications of Type 1 diabetes. I asked if they would bring the drug to market. A mass of excitement overwhelmed me when I learned about C-peptide missing from insulin all these years. The response from Novo? No thanks, it's not one of our targets. Targets, eh?

C-peptide is a byproduct of the production of insulin. In Type 1 diabetics, the level of C-peptide eventually becomes undetectable due to the body not making any insulin of its own. Long-term complications of diabetes frequently develop despite insulin therapy and optimal blood glucose control. C-peptide could quite possibly be the missing link in perfect diabetes control. I sent the following document to Novo Nordisk and asked them to make C-peptide available to reverse and ameliorate renal and nerve dysfunction for Type 1 diabetics. Read the document and see for yourself the eye-popping beneficial results C-peptide offers Type 1 diabetics. I received it directly from Dr. Wahren, lead researcher for C-peptide.

After 5 months consideration, Novo called me back. They said C-peptide is not a target for their company. I understand and now Levemir is not a target in my diabetes control, either. For all the Type 1 diabetics out there controlling your sugars with insulin not really made with you in mind -- do you understand why Novo does not wish to develop this critically important treatment? I guess insulin is good enough, right? Wrong. It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it. Just not Novo. When you are in the business of diabusiness -- no thank you says so much about what could potentially hurt your business.

For those of you who do not know her yet - consider today your lucky day!! She is Amy Tenderich and her site, Diabetes Mine, is a force to be reckoned with in the diabetes online community. What do I mean? When Amy speaks - anybody who's anybody in the diabetes online community listens.

A few months ago she posted an open letter to Steve Jobs, which was wildly discussed in the blogosphere and media. She invited gadget designers to rise to the challenge of creating sleeker, cooler, consumer-oriented medical devices for people with diabetes. Not only did she get the diabetes blogosphere stirring - but the minds of entrepreneurs storming, as well.

Amy motivated a San Francisco-based company to react in a universal remote control sort of way. Adaptive Path has designed The Charmr, a prototype of a continuous glucose monitor combined with an insulin pump, universally controlled by a device that looks to be no bigger than a USB stick! I strongly encourage everybody to checkout Amy's blog with all the details (including reader feedback) and the YouTube video on the Charmr. Bravo Amy!!

• G1: Metabolically active cell duplicates organelles and cytosolic components.
• S: The DNA within the nucleus replicates.
• G2: Cell growth, enzyme and protein synthesis continues.

• Prophase: The chromosomes coil up and become visible as short rods. Each chromosome is really 2 chromatids (original DNA plus its copy) still attached at a region called a centromere. The nucleus and nucleolus disappear. The centrioles organize the spindle fibers.
• Metaphase: The pairs of chromatids line up. Chromatids are the copies of the chromosonal threads. 92 chromosomes in 46 pairs exist at the equator of the cell.
• Anaphase: Each chromatid is now considered a separate chromosome. The spindle fibers contract and pull the chromosomes, one set toward each pole of the cell.
• Telophase: The chromosomes uncoil and nucleus and nucleolus form. The spindle apparatus is dismantled and a nuclear membrane re-forms around each set of chromosomes.
• Cytokinesis: Cleavage furrow is formed by contracting microfilaments; the cell's cytoplasm is divided by cleavage.

1) Plasma membrane: A membrane lies at the border of cells and consists of lipids and proteins. See my post of 23 May on the cell membrane

2) Cytoplasm: All the cellular contents between the plasma membrane and the nucleus and can be further divided into the Cytosol and Organelles. We will discuss the organelles in today's post.

3) Nucleus: Technically an organelle, but usually considered separately because of its numerous and diverse functions.

Organelles

Organelles are specialized structures that evolved to perform specific functions. We could probably discuss each organelle in a separate post, because each one has it's own characteristic shape and function. i decided to keep this very basic and just list the different organelles, what they look like and what their basic function is. We will also just look at the "famous" organelles. There are other organelles, but the ones we discuss will give us a good understanding of what goes on inside the cell.