Figure 2. Analyses of the endocrine pancreas in WT and DIRKO mice.

Following 20 weeks on RC or HF diet, nonfasted WT and DIRKO mice were euthanized, and pancreata were harvested for assessment of insulin mRNA and insulin content as well as for histological and morphometric analyses. Blood was also obtained by cardiac puncture for measurement of ambient levels of circulating insulin. (A) Pancreatic histology and immunohistochemical staining for insulin in sections from WT and DIRKO mice. Original magnification, ×100. (B) Percent total β cell area per total pancreatic area (n = 5–9 per group). (C) Total islet number per total pancreatic area in μm² (n = 6–9 per group). (D) Number of BrdU⁺ β cells per islet (n = 4–7 per group). (E) Insulin mRNA levels in pancreata from mice (n = 7–8 per group). (F) Pancreatic insulin content in WT and DIRKO mice (n = 7–10 per group). (G) Ambient levels of plasma insulin (n = 8–12 per group). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 versus WT-RC; ^#P < 0.05, ^###P < 0.001 versus WT-HF; ^ΧP < 0.05 versus DIRKO-RC.