Medical Guides

Diabetes – The Causes:  Terms you should know

Etiology: The study of causes of a disease.

Antigens: Substances that cause an immune response in the body. The body recognises the antigens as harmful and produces antibodies to eliminate them.

Antibodies: These are produced by the body to protect it from antigens.

Autoantibodies: Antibodies prepared by the body against its own tissues.

Autoimmunity: A condition in which the body’s own immune system attacks cells of the body. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks the beta cells of the pancreas and destroys them.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid): A chemical substance, present in cells that guides the cells what to do and when to do it.


Gene: A basic unit of heredity. Genes are made of DNA. DNA orders the cells what to do and when to do what. The information in the genesis passed from parents to children.

Heredity: The passing of a trait, such as color of the eyes, from parents to the child. A person ‘inherits’ these traits through the genes.

HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen): A pattern of proteins on the cell surface that identifies the cell to the immune system as ‘self’ or ‘non-self’. These patterns are identified by DNA analysis.

Hyperinsulinism: High levels of insulin in the blood.

Risk Factor: Anything that raises the chance that a person will get a disease, e.g. people have greater risk of developing non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, if they weigh 20 % or more than ideal weight.