Type 2 Diabetes: Autoimmune Destruction of Beta Cells?

Type 1 diabetes mellitus, previously known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, previously known as adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, a condition in which cells in the body do not respond normally to insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas may initially produce enough insulin, but over time, it cannot produce enough insulin to meet the body's needs.