Figure 4. Changes in islet endocrine cell populations in mice with STZ-induced diabetes.

Alpha, beta and delta-cells were quantified as a percentage of total islet area (A) and total endocrine cell mass (B) in 12-wk old Balb/c mice (black bars) and 12-wk Balb/c mice with STZ-induced diabetes (white bars) Significant changes among groups are indicated as: *p<0.01, **p<0.001 and ***p<0.0001. Increased proportions of alpha (red) and delta (green) cells coincides with decreased insulin expression (data not shown, C) in 12 wk old female Balb/c mice with STZ-induced diabetes. This was observed irrespective of whether the mice were left untreated (middle panel) or received a syngeneic islet transplantation to restore euglycemia (right panel). Age- and gender-matched Balb/c control islets demonstrated normal endocrine cell distribution with peripherally located alpha and delta-cells and beta-cells throughout the core of the islet (left panel). Scale bar = 10 µm.