The effect of maternal diabetes on pancreatic islets in newborn rats: a quantitative and immunocytochemical study

The effect of diabetes during pregnancy on the endocrine pancreas of the newborn has been studied before, but a detailed morphometric immunocytochemical study is not available. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal diabetes on the morphology of islets in newborn rats. Pancreatic sections were stained by the indirect immunoperoxidase method to localise the insulin-producing beta-cells and were used for morphometric analysis. The islet volume density, diameter and volume and the absolute islet cell number were significantly greater in the diabetic group than in controls. The beta-cell volume density was significantly lower in the diabetic group, although the beta-cell nuclear diameter and volume did not differ significantly in this group. The results obtained from this investigation indicate that maternal diabetes induces islet hypertrophy in newborn offspring and causes an increase in the total islet cell number.