ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Mongolian gerbil
;
Obese, lean
;
Fasting blood glucose
;
Glucose tolerance
;
Body form
;
Islets of Langerhans (quantitative histology)
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Gerbils were divided, on the basis of body weight, into obese (〉80 gms) and lean (〈80 gms) groups. Fasting blood glucose estimations on all 31 gerbils, and glucose tolerance tests on 9 lean and 6 obese animals, were carried out. All lean and some obese gerbils were normoglycaemic and other obese were hyperglycaemic. All obese gerbils exhibited glucose intolerance. General morphological studies were untertaken as follows: (i) assessment of mesenteric fat deposits, (ii) measurement of anterior abdominal wall thickness, (iii) ratio of animal length to width at specified loci (index of shape). The degree of obesity was less than previously reported in this species though blood glucose abnormality was comparable. The index of animal shape showed a strong correlation with body weight. The following kinds of histological observation were made on pancreases from 4 lean and 4 obese gerbils: (i) % islet representation, (ii) islet size distribution, (iii) β-cell granularity, (iv) islet vascularity, (v) islet/duct association, (vi) proportions of α- and D-cells, (vii) glycogen deposition in islet and duct cells. The pancreases of obese gerbils contained a higher proportion of islet tissue than those of lean due to generally larger islets: this hyperplasia was mainly attributable to β-cell proliferation. Many obese gerbil islets exhibited hyperaemia and β-cell degranulation. There was no evidence of glycogen depositon.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00216765
Permalink
