Genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes

The recent discovery of PTPN22 as a novel susceptibility gene in human type 1 diabetes and continued progress in defining genes in animal models of the disease mark a fruitful period in the field of type 1 diabetes genetics. In addition, the similarities of the genetic and functional aspects across species have been substantiated. Future genome-wide association studies will reveal more loci, each providing a piece to the genetic puzzle of autoimmune disease.