Type 1 diabetes. Illustration of the metabolic processes that occur in the stomach, pancreas and bloodstream in diabetes mellitus type 1. Food entering the stomach (upper centre) is digested and glucose (blue spheres) enters the bloodstream (upper right). The role of the pancreatic hormone insulin (green, lower left) is to help control the level of glucose in the blood. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas (behind stomach, lower left) fails to produce insulin, or fails to produce enough insulin. The levels of glucose in the blood can rise to dangerous levels. The condition is managed by the injection of insulin. For an illustration of type 2 diabetes, see image C029/3018.