Effects of pancreatic islet implantation on the morphology of retinal capillaries in alloxan diabetic mice.
Intrasplenic implantation of syngeneic islets normalized the hyperglycaemia of alloxan-diabetic mice irrespective of whether the implantation was performed 2 weeks or 4 months after the induction of diabetes. Islet implantation soon after the onset of diabetes prevented the development of retinal capillary disease as evidenced by a normal ratio between endothelial cells and pericytes. The increase of the cell count ratio (endothelial cells/pericytes) induced by long-term diabetes could not, however, be restored by islet implantation. The present results further underline the importance of optimal treatment for prevention of diabetic retinopathy.
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose