Diabetic kidney. Light micrograph of a section through a glomerulus in a kidney in a case of diabetes. The glomerulus (round) is a tightly wound coil of blood vessels. Blood is filtered and cleaned in the numerous glomeruli of a kidney. Diabetes is a condition where the body either cannot use insulin or fails to make enough of it. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, regulates the levels of glucose (a sugar) in the blood. Diabetes leads to elevated blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia). Over long time periods, this leads to damage to blood vessels, eyes, nerves and kidneys. Kidney failure may result.