Morphological changes in newborn pigs of alloxan diabetic sows

We compared morphologically newborn piglets of alloxan diabetic sows with those of control animals. There were no histochemically detectable marked differences between the two groups investigated. In particular no differences in glycogen content of the liver and heart were observed. In all cases the endocrine pancreas was immature with sporadic formation of islet structures. In both groups we were able to demonstrate A- and B-cells immunohistochemically but not a hyperplasia of the B-cell system. The results obtained correlate with the absence of hyperinsulinaemia in newborn pigs of alloxan diabetic sows. We were unable to demonstrate the morphological background or cause of the diminished glucose-induced insulin release in case of alloxan diabetes as was found in 8-day old piglets. Therefore, the changes in newborn pigs of alloxan diabetic sows do not correlate with those in diabetic fetopathy in human beings.