Growth of the rat foetal liver in gestational diabetes

1. Through a combination of streptozotocin and insulin injections an animal model of gestational diabetes has been established, whereby blood glucose concentrations are elevated over the second-half of pregnancy. 2. Between 18 and 21 days of gestation the diabetic mothers carried smaller foetuses, which in turn possessed growth retarded livers. 3. This suppression of hepatic growth in diabetic foetuses was evident in terms of consistently decreased (7-27%) liver weights and protein and nucleic acid contents. 4. No differences were found between the rates of hepatic protein synthesis (measured in vivo) in control and diabetic foetuses. 5. Hence, the growth retardation of the foetal liver, arising from maternal hyperglycaemia, must necessarily involve an increase in protein degradation.