Renal lesions in rats with long-term alloxan diabetes. A semiquantitative light microscopic study with particular reference to the glomeruli.

Abstract

A light microscopic quantitation and comparison of some selected glomerular structures (basement membrane and mesangial area) in nondiabetic and in untreated alloxan diabetic rats at various ages was performed. It applies to both groups of rats that a significant age-related increase of graded glomerular basement membrane thickness and of measured mesangial area developed. In time, however, this increase was significantly more pronounced in the diabetic than in the nondiabetic group. Tubular and interstitial changes were also observed, both in nondiabetic and in diabetic rats. The importance of using an adequate number of nondiabetic, age-matched controls in studies of the mentioned glomerular changes in diabetic rats is emphasized. A quantitation of the changes in “blind” studies is advisable.