Whats cells of the body are affected by diabetes?

All cells of the body can be affected by diabetes. This is because diabetes affects the body's ability to use glucose (sugar) for energy. Without glucose, cells cannot function properly. Cells that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of diabetes include:

- Nerve cells: Diabetes-induced damage to nerve cells (neuropathy) is one of the most common complications of the disease. Neuropathy can affect a variety of different areas of the body, including the feet, legs, hands, and arms. Symptoms of neuropathy can include numbness, tingling, pain, and muscle weakness.

- Blood vessel cells: Diabetes can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including the tiny capillaries that nourish cells. The blood vessel damage in diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and vision problems.

- Kidney cells: Diabetes can damage the cells in the kidneys that are responsible for filtering waste products from the blood. The kidney damage in diabetes can lead to kidney disease and ultimately to kidney failure.

- Eye cells: Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye). The blood vessel damage in the retina can lead to diabetic retinopathy, which can cause vision problems and blindness.

- Heart muscle cells: Diabetes can damage the muscle cells of the heart, which can lead to heart failure.

- Pancreatic beta cells: Diabetes mellitus (type 1) results from the failure of the beta cells of the pancreas to produce enough insulin. However, the beta cells are also affected by type 2 diabetes, particularly in the late stage of the disease.

In addition to these specific cells, diabetes can also affect cells throughout the body by promoting inflammation and oxidative stress. These processes can damage the DNA in cells and lead to the development of other chronic diseases, such as cancer.