Although these results clearly supported our hypothesis that ISCs are important for the maintenance of β-cell insulin secretion in a physiological environment, the effect of Wnt5a on β-cell insulin signalling has yet to be observed; biochip technology and transgenic models could be used to elucidate the meaning of this process in the pathogenesis of T2DM. Here, WNT5A is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.