Electron micrographs of control (a) and diabetic (b, c) SMG acinar cells. Control acinar cells show basally located nuclei and rough ER; the apical secretory granules have a light, flocculent content and occasionally fuse with their neighbours. Cells of diabetic animals contain basally located lipid droplets (LD) and occasional residual body-type lysosomes (LY). Thickening and redundancy of the basal lamina (arrowheads, panel c) occur in diabetic glands. AC, acinar cell; N, nucleus; Lu, lumen; IC, intercellular canaliculus. a and b, scale bars = 2 μm; C, scale bar = 0.5 μm.