title: Effects of Diabetes on Post-Menopausal Rat Submandibular Glands: A Histopathological and Stereological Examination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The menopause in elderly women is a physiological process where ovarian and uterine cycles end. Diabetes means higher blood glucose level that is a metabolic disease and has an increased incidence. The aim of the study was to examine the single or combined effects of menopause and diabetes that causes pathophysiological processes on submandibular gland on ovariectomy and diabetes induced rat models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague Dawley twelve weeks old female (n=24) rats were divided randomly into four groups; Healthy control group (n=6), diabetic group (DM, n=6), ovariectomized group (OVX, n=6), post ovariectomy diabetes induced group (DM+OVX, n=6) individually. Histopathological, histochemical and stereological analyses were done in these groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant neutrophil cell infiltrations and myoepithelial cell proliferations, granular duct and seromucous acini damages and changes in the content of especially seromucous acini secretion in DM and/or OVX groups and distinctive interstitial and striated duct damages in post ovariectomy diabetes induced group were detected. Alterations ingranular ducts hypertrophic and in seromucous acini atrophic were determined in DM and/or OVX groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results revealed the pathophysiological processes that lead to morphological and functional alterations on the cellular level in submandibular glands. The molecular mechanisms related with pathogenesis of diabetes and menopause need further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Basak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buyuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Secil Nazife
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Parlak
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman Nuri
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Keles
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Can
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeliha
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yetim
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toktay
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Jale
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selli
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bunyami
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Unal
keywords: Diabetes; gland; menopause; rat; submandibular