Skin and diabetes mellitus: what do we know?

Quondamatteo, F. (2014) Skin and diabetes mellitus: what do we know? Cell and Tissue Research, 355(1), pp. 1-21. (doi: 10.1007/s00441-013-1751-2) (PMID:24318789)

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Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Although major complications of this condition involve kidney, retina and peripheral nerves, the skin of diabetic patients is also frequently injured. Hence, interest is mounting in the definition of the structural and molecular profile of non-complicated diabetic skin, i.e., before injuries occur. Most of the available knowledge in this area has been obtained relatively recently and, in part, derives from various diabetic animal models. These include both insulin-dependent and insulin-resistant models. Structural work in human diabetic skin has also been carried out by means of tissue samples or of non-invasive methods. Indications have indeed been found for molecular/structural changes in diabetic skin. However, the overall picture that emerges is heterogeneous, incomplete and often contradictory and many questions remain unanswered. This review aims to detail, as much as possible, the various pieces of current knowledge in a systematic and synoptic manner. This should aid the identification of areas in which key questions are still open and more research is needed. A comprehensive understanding of this field could help in determining molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of skin injuries in DM and markers for the monitoring of cutaneous and systemic aspects of the disease. Additionally, with the increasing development of non-invasive optics-based deep-tissue-imaging diagnostic technologies, precise knowledge of cutaneous texture and molecular structure becomes an important pre-requisite for the use of such methods in diabetic patients.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Quondamatteo, Prof Fabio
Authors: Quondamatteo, F.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences
Journal Name:Cell and Tissue Research
Publisher:Springer Verlag
ISSN:0302-766X
ISSN (Online):1432-0878
Published Online:07 December 2013

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