Importantly increases in glucose uptake through AMPK activation are sought for the treatment of type 2 diabetes since the AMPK signaling pathway is not down regulated in type 2 diabetes (as opposed to the insulin signaling pathway) and pharmacological agents such as metformin used clinically for the treatment of type 2 diabetes exert some of their actions through AMPK. This evidence concerns the gene INS and type 2 diabetes mellitus.