The role of protein glycation in diabetic microangiopathy. Diabetic complications including microvascular disease are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the diabetic patient. Microangiopathy is a major cause of renal failure and its associated morbidity and mortality. Hyperglycaemia is believed to be the primary cause of diabetic microvascular complications, with the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) playing an important role. However, data are emerging that indicate that AGEs play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, a disease commonly seen in diabetes and a major cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. This review focuses on the role of AGEs in microangiopathy in diabetes and their potential use as therapeutic targets for the treatment of diabetic complications.