Comparison of glucose, sorbitol and fructose accumulation in lens and liver of diabetic and insulin-treated rats and mice.

1. The accumulation of glucose, fructose and sorbitol was determined in the lens, liver, and blood from normal, streptozotocin-induced diabetic, and insulin-treated diabetic rats and mice. 2. Sorbitol concentration in rat lens was 10-100 times greater than that in mouse lens, with the highest concentrations in the diabetic animals. 3. Sorbitol levels in rat and mouse liver, and mouse lens were similar and increased only slightly under hyperglycemic conditions. 4. Fructose accumulation was similar in rat and mouse liver and was elevated in the diabetic mouse blood and diabetic rat lens. 5. Aldose reductase activity in rat lens was approximately 350 times that of mouse lens. 6. Lenticular sorbitol dehydrogenase activity in rats was approximately ten times that in mouse lens. 7. Administration of insulin tended to lower liver glucose and subsequent sorbitol formation in the diabetic rat and mouse.