These key grizzly bear genes keep them diabetes-free over long winter hibernations — offering clues to how we might better treat the disease in humans - Genetic Literacy Project

This experiment helped the team narrow down the bears’ secret to controlling their insulin: Eight key proteins that seem to have a unique role in bear biology, working either independently or together to regulate insulin during hibernation.

Because humans share most of our genes with bears, understanding the role of these eight proteins could teach scientists more about human insulin resistance, [co-author Blair] Perry says.