Capillary: It is the smallest of the body's blood vessels. The walls of the capillaries are so thin that oxygen and glucose pass trough them up to the cells, and waste products such as carbon dioxide pass back into the blood to be eliminated by the organism. Sometimes people suffering from diabetes for a long time realise their capillaries get weak, especially the kidneys and the retina of the eyes.

Alpha cell: a type of cell in the pancreas (in sites called islets of Langerhans). The Alpha cell makes and releases glucagon: a hormone that raises the level of glucose (sugar) in blood.

Beta cell: a type of cell in the pancreas (in sites called islets of Langerhans). Beta cells make and release insulin: a hormone that regulates the level of glucose (sugar) in blood.

Delta cell: kind of cell in the pancreas (in sites called islets of Langerhans). The Delta cells produce somatostine: A hormone that it is believed to produce and release insulin by the Beta cells, and Glucagons by the Alga cells.

Unstable Diabetes: kind of Diabetes in which the glucose level (sugar) in blood usually fluctuates between high and slow levels and vice versa. It is also called Labile Diabetes.

Insipidus Diabetes: A pituitary gland disease, it is not saccharin diabetes. It is frequently called as " Diabetes of Water" to differ it from the "diabetes of sugar". They have different cause and treatment. As in both cases we observe the same symptoms: frequent urine, thirst, hunger and weakness, they are called "diabetes", but people suffering from this disease do not have glucose (sugar) in the urine.

Latent Diabetes: Former definition of disorders of glucose tolerance. Borderline Diabetes: definition not used. Chemical diabetes and Sub clinical Diabetes.

Overt Diabetes: Diabetes showing wrong symptoms as the severe desire to drink and the continuous necessity of urinating.

Diabetes Mellitus, Saccharin Diabetes It is originated when the organism cannot use the sugar to gain energy, that is, cannot turn food into glucose as the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or because it cannot take advantage of the insulin it has. The saccharin Diabetes is also called Diabetes Mellitus. Both types of diabetes may occur at any age. The symptoms of Diabetes are: Frequent desire to urinate, lose of weight, deep desire to drink and eat all the time. People suffering from this disease feel thirsty and go to the toilet frequently as the glucose is accumulated up to a high level in blood flow and the kidneys work excessively to delete this charge.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus A kind of Mellitus Diabetes that may occur to a pregnant woman. During the second half of the gestation, the level of glucose (sugar) in blood may be higher. However, at the end of the pregnancy, all the glucose levels get their normal figures in about 95 percent of situations.

Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus [IDDM]) Chronic situation in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. The organism is not able to use the glucose to gain energy. It appears suddenly most of the time. The symptoms are: deep desire to eat, drink and urinate frequently and loss of weight. In order to regulate the level of glucose in blood, it is necessary to inject insulin, follow a fixed diet plan and do exercise every day. If the level of insulin is too low for a long time, the organism starts to use the fat storage by throwing acids in the blood (ketone). As a result, a severe state of urgent treatment begins: "ketoacidosis". It is so urgent that may cause a comma. The insulin dependable diabetes is an illness due to several reasons. It can be by heritage, virus, etc. Children and adults older than 30 years are mainly affected by this illness. It was called juvenile diabetes (Juvenile- onset diabetes), diabetes of sudden onset and Diabetes Ketosis prone. Now it is called Diabetes Mellitus type I.

Non insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus [NIDDM] (type II) It is the most frequent type of Diabetes Mellitus. About 90 percent of people suffering from diabetes, have this type of disease. In this situation, the pancreas produces some quantity of insulin but it is not enough. It is possible to control it by an adequate diet and regular exercise, as well as doses of insulin or pills of hypoglycemic agents. Some patients can control the insulin in sufficient quantities as they have a cellular resistance to the insulin action. It is deeply related to obesity. It generally occurs to people older than 40 years. It was known as Adult-Onset Diabetes, Maturity-Onset Diabetes, Ketosis resistant and "regular Diabetes".

Secondary Diabetes A type of diabetes caused by another disease or any treatment with certain medicines or chemicals.

Diabetogenic Causing Diabetes. Certain medicines and virus may be diabetogenic.

Endogenous It starts or develops inside the organism. The insulin that the pancreas produces itself is endogenous insulin. The insulin that is coming from the bovine, hog or bacterial pancreas is exogenous as it starts outside the organism and you need an injection.

Controlled disease All the levels of sugar in blood keep normal levels for a long period of time so it is possible to reduce the effects of this disease in the organism. People suffering from Diabetes can "control" this disease if following a diet, doing exercise and taking medicines as needed.

Euglycemia A normal level of glucose (sugar) in the blood.

Exogenous Beginning or occurring outside the organism. For instance, the insulin of the bovine or hog pancreas is an exogenous insulin for people suffering from Diabetes.

Risk Factor All the causes that increase the possibilities of getting a disease. Regarding to insulin dependant Diabetes, people are in high risk if their weight overpass the normal conditions (20 percent or more).

Insulin Binding When the insulin fixes in something different. This may occur in two ways: When a cell needs energy, the insulin may fix outside the cell. Then, the cell transfers glucose (sugar) inside and uses it as energy. With the insulin, the cell works fast and successfully. However, the body sometimes works against itself. The insulin fixes to the proteins that are supposed to protect the organism from exogenous substances. The human body considers bovine, hog or bacterial insulin as "strange" substances, so then, the insulin fixes to these proteins. On this second way, the effect of the insulin fixed to the proteins is not as efficient as it fixes to the cell.

Gland Group of especial cells that produce substances needed for the performance of some other organs. For instance, the pancreas is a gland that release insulin so the cells may use glucose (sugar) to gain energy.

Endocrine Glands Glands that release hormones in the blood. They affect the way the organism makes use of food (metabolism). They also alter other body functions. One of the endocrine glands is the pancreas, which release insulin so the body may use the sugar for energy.

Adrenal Glands Two organs lying in the upper part of the kidneys. They produce hormones such as adrenalin (epinephrine) that along with other hormones, even the insulin, balance the use of glucose (sugar) by the organism.

Insulin A hormone which helps the organism to use glucose (sugar) to obtain energy. The Beta cells of the pancreas (in sites called islets of Langer Hans) produce insulin. When human body is not able to produce insulin by itself, the diabetes patient has to inject insulin such as bovine or hog insulin (coming from recombined AND) or human insulin (semi synthetic coming from hog insulin).

Islets of langerhans Especial groups of cells in the pancreas. Produce and release hormones that help body to break down and use food. These cells, located in the pancreas as bunches, are named after the German scientific Paul Langerhans who discovered them in 1869. There are five types of cells in an islet: Beta cells that make insulin, Alfa cells that make glucagons, Delta cells that make somatostatine and PP and D1 cells that are hardly known.

Metabolism Term to explain the way cells transform food chemically so it can be used to keep our organism alive. The process consists in two parts. One is the "catabolism" that is when the body uses food as energy. The second part is called "anabolism" in which body uses food to build or fix cells.

Mg/dL Milligrams per deciliters. Used to describe the amount of glucose (sugar) in a specific quantity of blood. At the glucose auto test, the results of tests are reported as the amount of glucose in milligrams per deciliter of blood. The result of 70 to 110 mg/dl, while fasting, is considered among the normal values.

Obesity A person is said to suffer from obesity if having 20 per cent (or more) of fat body mass exceeding the normal amount in body according to age, height, sex and physical structure. Fat works against the effect of insulin. Additional body fat is considered to be a risk factor in diabetes.

Páncreas Organ located behind the lower part of the stomach. It is hand size. It releases insulin so the organism may use glucose (sugar) as energy. It also produces enzymes that help the use of food. The islets of Langerhands are found in all parts of the pancreas. Each of these cells have a specific purpose: Alfa cells make glucagons which increase the level of glucose in blood, Beta cells make insulin, Delta cells make somatostatine and some others hardly known such as PP and D1.

Receptors Areas of the outer part of the cell allowing it to join or bind with the insulin in the blood.

Insulin Receptors Areas on the outer part of the cell that allow the cell to bind with insulin in the blood. When the cell and the insulin bind, the cell can take glucose from the blood and use it as energy.

Retina Central area of the back inner layer of eye that received light. It has many capillaries (little blood vessels). A person who had suffered from diabetes for a long time might have damaged them.

Secrete Make and release as in the case if Beta cells that make insulin and then release it into blood so other body cells may use it to change it into glucose (sugar) for energy.

Renal Threshold Big concentration of any substance such as the blood glucose concentration at which the kidneys start to excrete glucose into the urine. It is also called "kidney threshold", "excrete point" or overflow point".

Coxsackie B4 Virus According to laboratories test, this virus damages the Beta cells of the pancreas. This virus may be the cause of the insulin dependant diabetes.