Quantitative electron-microscopic studies of langerhans islets in normoglycemic chinese hamsters of a diabetic strain.
On the basis of previous studies of the retina and the pituitary, normoglycemic Chinese hamsters from a diabetic strain were divided into two groups, depending on the thickness of their capillary basement membrane and on the number of somatotrophs. Both values were significantly lower in group I than in group II. Quantitative electron microscopy of the islets of Langerhans showed in group II a tendency to a volume increase for A-cells, to a decrease for D- and B-cells. Also the number of B-granules and the surface area of electron dense material deposited in B-cells appeared to be increased in group II. Hypotheses are offered to explain the islet changes in correlation to previous findings in the retina and pituitary.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D006224:Cricetinae; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000473:pathology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology