Abstract
This paper presents a review of different mechanisms possibly responsible for the degeneration of the pancreatic B‐cell in insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus. The genetic dependence probably located in the HLA DR‐locus of the sixth chromosome and its role in an autoimmune reaction against antigenieally altered pancreatic B‐cells is discussed. The actions of alloxan and streptozotacin in the induction of experimental diabetes, as models for postulated human B‐cytotoxins, are described.