a. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which the body loses its ability to properly oxidize carbohydrates.

It is caused by a deficiency in the production of insulin by the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans within the pancreas.

b. The body gets its supply of energy from glucose, a product of carbohydrate metabolism. Normally, glucose is stored in the liver, in the form of glycogen, and released into the blood stream when the level of glucose in the circulating blood decreases.

c. Insulin regulates glucose metabolism. Without insulin, blood glucose cannot pass through the capillary membrane to be used by the cells for energy, nor can it be stored by the body. When the body’s cells are unable to use glucose, it accumulates in the blood (hyperglycemia) and spills over into the urine (glycosuria). When the body cannot store glucose for release when required, blood glucose deficiency (hypoglycemia) will occur.