The first description of amyloid deposits, called hyaline at the time, in the islets of people with diabetes was reported in 1900.83 It took until 1987 to determine that this amyloid was formed from the β cell secretory product islet associated polypeptide (IAPP),84 which in humans and a few other species can form the β-pleated sheets that make up amyloid. The gene discussed is IAPP; the disease is diabetes mellitus.