[Various disturbances in beta cell function in diabetes mellitus]

Various types of insulin secretion may be differentiated in diabetes mellitus. In juvenile diabetes, there can not be induced in general any stimulation of insulin secretion, whereas in maturity-onset type diabetes a significant increase of the serum level was found after stimulation with glucagon or tolbutamide. However, neither moderate glucose doses given orally nor very high glucose doses given intravenously were able to stimulate insulin secretion in some of these patients. These findings suggest a complete insufficiency of beta cell glucose receptors in this specific type of maturity-onset diabetes.