Generation, validation and humanisation of a novel insulin resistant cell model.

Insulin resistance is a characteristic of type 2 diabetes and is a major independent risk factor for progression to the disease. In particular, insulin resistance associates with increased body fat and almost certainly contributes to the dramatic increase in risk of type 2 diabetes associated with obesity. Therefore, in order to design truly effective insulin sensitising agents, targeted at the mechanism of disease development, we aimed to generate an obesity-related insulin resistant cell model.