[Insulin receptors of adipose tissue in patients newly diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus].

Binding of insulin to fatty cell plasmatic membranes in 10 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus exhibited high variability. The patients were divided into two groups based on the values of insulin binding. In the first group, comprising 3 patients, specific binding of insulin was below the values found in healthy persons; this phenomenon occurred only due to a decrease in content of insulin receptors. In the second group (7 patients) specific binding of insulin exceeded the values of controls; in this case an increase in affinity of the receptors was observed. These results suggest that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is characterized by high heterogeneity.