title: Genetics of type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Identification and characterization of genetic variants that either cause or predispose to diabetes are a major focus of biomedical research. As of early 2007, the molecular basis of most forms of monogenic diabetes resulting from beta-cell dysfunction is known and, in particular, there has been recent success in delineating the genetic aetiology of neonatal diabetes. Finding genes predisposing to more common, multifactorial forms of type 2 diabetes represents a far greater challenge, and only a handful of robust, well-replicated examples have been established. Nevertheless, 2006 heralded identification of the most important type 2 diabetes susceptibility gene known so far, TCF7L2, and in 2007 large-scale genome-wide association studies are destined to provide novel insights into the genetic architecture and biology of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK.
authors.forename: Katharine R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Mark I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051820:TCF Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051820:TCF Transcription Factors