Ultrastructural changes of ciliary epithelial nucleus in experimental diabetes--an animal model

The aim of this study was to observe in electron microscope the New Zealand rabbits ciliary epithelial nucleus structure changes, depending on the duration of experimental diabetes mellitus. The animals were administered alloxan in the form of 10% solution in 0.9% NaCl, at the dose of 100 mg/kg b.m. If the glycemia level was 11 mmol/l or higher the animal was included in the experimental group. 15 eyes of 15 adult New Zealand rabbits were studied. Conventional electron microscopy was used to show ultrastructural changes of ciliary epithelium nucleus. During the study we noticed severe changes in the structure of ciliary epithelial nucleus depending on diabetes mellitus duration. We found: deep indentations of nuclear membrane, open nuclear pores, irregularity in heterochromatin location and small sizes of the epithelial nucleus.