Part 4: Diagnosis & Treatment The BMP results and additional tests confirm the doctor's suspicions that
Laura has developed type I diabetes. The doctor gives Laura and her
family a lot of information on this disorder and what to expect. She tells
Laura's family that type I diabetes is caused by an immune attack on an
important organ that is part of the endocrine and digestive systems. Laura
can no longer regulate her blood glucose levels on her own!
One of the images from the doctor's handouts looks very familiar to you.
Refer to the image below to answer the following questions:
Normal
Type I Diabetes
1
1
2
1. What organ is being attacked by the immune system, as shown in this
figure? Identify the specific structures/cells that are being destroyed. (2
pts)
2. What hormone is no longer being made in Laura's body?
a. EXPLAIN how this missing hormone would normally regulate
glucose. (4 pts)
b. Identify the hormone that has the opposite effect on glucose in the
body AND where that hormone is made. (4 pts)
3. Identify ONE specific type of immune cell that could be responsible for
this destruction and make a hypothesis about how or why it is causing this
destruction. (4 pts)
Hint: a hypothesis is not right or wrong, but it has specific
testable ideas based on prior knowledge!
4. In addition to receiving supplemental synthetic hormone to regulate
Laura’s glucose, she is given additional nutritional guidelines about how
to manage her condition.
a. EXPLAIN how carbohydrates are digested (chemical &
mechanical) and absorbed in the body. (6 pts)