Molecular aspects of the etiology of type I diabetes mellitus

Research into the molecular etiology of type I diabetes mellitus is ongoing in several promising areas. The goals of investigation include the identification of the genes responsible for susceptibility to or protection from disease and an enhanced understanding of the targets of the autoimmune response. Investigations into the process by which beta cells are destroyed suggest that diverse arms of the immune system are involved and that the autoimmune process is regulated. A model for predicting the time of development of type I diabetes in relatives of patients with diabetes, the reliability of which has permitted trials of preventive therapies to be designed and implemented, is discussed.