title: Gestational diabetes influences retinal Muller cells in rat's offspring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Muller cell is the principal glial cell of the vertebrate retina. The expression of Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the Muller cells was used as a cellular marker for retinal damage. This study was done to evaluate the effect of gestational diabetes on retinal Muller cells in rat's offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, 12 Wistar rat dams were randomly allocated in control and diabetic groups. Gestational diabetes was induced by 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin at the first day of gestation, intraperitoneally. Dams in control group received an equivalent volume normal saline. Eye of six offspring of each group were removed at postnatal day 28 (P28). The histopathological changes in retina were examined through H&E staining and ultrastructure transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The expression of GFAP was examined using Immunohisto-chemical staining of GFAP in Muller cells. Photographs of retina were taken using Olympus BX51 microscope and a digital camera DP12 and EM LEO906; Zeiss, Germany.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control rat's offspring, GFAP expression was not significant in Muller cells. According to the optical microscope images, GFAP expression was observed in the processes of the Muller cell in the inner plexiform layer of retina in offspring of diabetic mothers. In TEM technique, nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic bodies were observed in Muller cell of diabetic offspring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that the uncontrolled gestational diabetes can increase GFAP expression in Muller cells and retinal thickness of retinal layer in rat offspring's, therefore uncontrolled gestational can damage the Muller cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Akramsadat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tabasi
authors.affiliation: Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Soraya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehdizadeh
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute. Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid Asadi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shekari
authors.affiliation: Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Jafar
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Golalipour
keywords: GFAP; Gestational diabetes; Mellitus; Muller cell; Retina