Hydropic Changes in Pancreatic Ductules and Islets in Alloxan Diabetes in the Rabbit.

Summary Moderate to extreme hydropic degeneration of the pancreatic ductules and islets was observed in rabbits rendered diabetic by alloxan when the diabetic state had persisted for several months. Such changes have not hitherto been described in alloxan diabetes in the rabbit. The earliest appearance of these alterations was at the end of 45 days after the injection of alloxan and hydropic changes were never absent after 90 days providing that the average fasting blood sugar level during the experiment had been 303 mg per 100 cc, or higher. The hydropic state of the ductules and islets persisted without histological evidence of any further change in association with more or less severe diabetes lasting for periods up to one year. The alpha cells of the islets remained histologically normal but appeared to be increased in number. Preliminary observations demonstrated that the hydropic degeneration of both ductules and islets is reversible by adequate treatment of the diabetic state with insulin. The reversed islet cells appeared to be unduly numerous suggesting proliferation. They were made up in part of indifferent nongranular cells and in part of cells exhibiting varying degrees of granularity of the cytoplasm of beta type. Those with a full complement of granular cytoplasm were indistinguishable in appearance from the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the normal rabbit.