Type 2 diabetes is associated with which of the following?

Type 2 diabetes is primarily characterized by insulin resistance, where the body's cells become less responsive to insulin. This is often related to defects in insulin signaling pathways, which include problems at the receptor level. Here, there may be a defect in the receptor site for insulin that prevents effective binding and signaling, leading to decreased glucose uptake and elevated blood glucose levels.

In contrast to this, increased sensitivity to insulin would actually alleviate the symptoms of diabetes, making it an unlikely characteristic of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, while genetic factors can play a role in the predisposition to type 2 diabetes, it is not as straightforward as identifying a specific genetic mutation as the cause. Furthermore, autoimmune destruction of beta cells is more closely related to type 1 diabetes rather than type 2, which typically involves a different pathophysiological process.

The focus on a defect in the receptor site for insulin effectively captures a fundamental aspect of type 2 diabetes, as impaired receptor function directly links to the condition’s hallmark of insulin resistance.