GCK
Associated conditions:
- Maturity onset diabetes of the young
GCK makes glucokinase, the glucose sensor in the pancreas that sets the blood-sugar level needed to trigger insulin release. Genetic changes in this gene are associated with an autosomal dominant, mild, stable form of diabetes called GCK-MODY (MODY2), present from birth. Knowing your genetic status enables the right diagnosis, since this form usually needs no medication and rarely causes the complications seen in other diabetes.
Tests that include GCK:
Conditions linked to GCK
Maturity onset diabetes of the young
MODY is an inherited form of diabetes that appears in younger people and is caused by a single gene. Identifying it matters because some types are best treated with specific tablets rather than insulin, and it has implications for relatives.
