[Morphologic studies of the placenta in alloxan diabetes]

Experiments were conducted on the placentae of 18 female Wistar rats. Alloxan diabetes was induced in prepubertal rats; in some of the animals diabetes was compensated by sulphanilamides before pregnancy. Histological examination of the placentae demonstrated that prematurity signs (the presence of cytotrophoblastic and giant cells in the labyrinth) and vascular affection were determined in the manifest alloxan diabetes. These changes were less pronounced in rats with compensated diabetes. It was demonstrated with the aid of contact microscope that, in comparison with the treated rats and control animals, rats with alloxan diabetes displayed in vivo a significant (p less than 0.001) increase of the number of vessels in the field of vision; it was also noted that in rats with alloxan diabetes and treated rats the vessels were tortuous.