Final answer:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by the hyporesponsiveness of cells to insulin, leading to high blood glucose levels. Unlike type 1 diabetes, where insulin is underproduced, type 2 involves resistance to normal insulin levels, requiring medication and lifestyle management.
Step-by-step explanation:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disorder characterized by the target cells' hyporesponsiveness to insulin. In this condition, the insulin hormone is still produced by the pancreas, but muscle, adipose tissue, and other cells do not respond effectively to it. Consequently, glucose cannot be properly absorbed from the bloodstream, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. This differs from type 1 diabetes, where the issue is hyposecretion of insulin due to destruction of pancreatic cells. The treatment for type 2 diabetes often involves medication, diet, and sometimes the administration of extra insulin, although the main issue remains the cellular resistance to insulin.
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is high, with millions of adults and children diagnosed in the United States alone. It stands in contrast to other endocrine system disorders that may involve either hypersecretion or hyposecretion of hormones. Type 2 diabetes generally requires lifestyle changes and medical intervention to manage blood glucose levels and mitigate complications.