Expansion and contraction: treating diabetes with bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery is not only one of the most immediate and effective ways to slim down: recent clinical data show that certain procedures are also particularly good at quelling type 2 diabetes. In “Bedside to Bench,” Allison Goldfine, Steven Shoelson and Vincent Aguirre outline how researchers can better understand these new clinical findings at the mechanistic level. In the accompanying “Bench to Bedside,” Jorge Plutzky takes a look how proper regulation of the storage of fatty acids helps maintain their effectiveness as signaling molecules and reins in their potential pathological effects. Such research is leading to new ways of thinking about how to combat type 2 diabetes.