Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of somatostatin-containing D-cells in diabetes

Insulin-, glucagon-, and somatostatin-contianing cells, identified by immunofluorescent staining, were quantitated morphometrically in sections of pancreas obtained from diabetic and nondiabetic humans and rats. Both the volume density and number of somatostatin- and glucagon-containing cells were significantly increased in the islets of juvenile-type human diabetics and of streptozotocin diabetic rats.