P2RX7 and diabetes mellitus: Furthermore, in a rat model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes (50), zebrafish (51), and retinal cultures (52) exposed to elevated extracellular glucose, and both type 1 (53) and type 2 diabetic patients (53–55), purine blood and/or extracellular levels have been shown to be elevated, which could be responsible for increased purinergic receptor signaling.