Role of islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes mellitus

In this review, we discuss one of the mechanisms that have been implicated in the development of β-cell failure, i.e. amyloid formation in the pancreatic islets. This islet amyloid is a characteristic histopathological feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus and both in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that its formation causes death of islet β-cells. Being a common pathogenic factor in an otherwise heterogeneous disease, islet amyloidosis is an attractive novel target for therapeutic intervention in type 2 diabetes mellitus.