Mathematical Models of Insulin-Glucose Regulation: an Important Tool for a Better Understanding of Diabetes

Abstract

A number of mathematical models relating to diabetes have grown in complexity during the last decade as new aspects of the disease are discovered and added into each model. Traditional models for diabetes contained only two main factors, being insulin and glucose. Newer models added other related hormones and components such as free fatty acids, glucagon, epinephrine, β-cell mass and insulin receptor. In the present article, the most influential mathematical models of insulin-glucose regulation in the form of ordinary differential equations are compared and discussed. The aim of the article is to bring together the key insights and to understand the relationship between models, in order to evaluate the big picture and to propose further areas of study for better knowledge of diabetes.