Changes in polyploidization of exocrine pancreas in db/db diabetic and normal mice

Polyploidy in tele-insular and peri-insular exocrine pancreas of C57BL/KsJ-db/db diabetic mice and normal littermate controls was quantitated, because the diseased state has been shown to produce an increase in the percentage of polyploid islet B-cells. Three diabetic and 3 normal animals were sacrificed at 4.5, 7, 9.5, 12, 14.5, and 17 weeks of age. Semi-automatic nuclear size analysis on Feulgen stained sections separated the nuclei into polyploid classes, with the following results: 1) In both normal and diabetic mice, percentages of polyploid cells in peri-insular and tele-insular regions differed significantly from one another, and from that of the islet B-cells. Per-cent polyploidy was highest in the peri-insular regions, and lowest in the islets. 2) In the tele-insular regions, per cent polyploidy did not differ between normals and diabetics at 4.5 weeks. By 17 weeks, polyploidy in the diabetics was essentially unchanged, while that of the normal animals had risen and become significantly elevated over that of both the 4.5 week normal and the 17 week diabetic animals. 3) In peri-insular regions, per cent polyploidy did not differ significantly between normals and diabetics throughout the period studied.