Absence of ultrastructural changes in the basement membrane of muscle capillaries in streptozotocin-induced carbohydrate intolerance in rhesus monkeys.

The effects of streptozotocin-induced carbohydrate intolerance on the basement membrane of muscle capillaries were studied in 5 adult rhesus monkeys. Biopsies were obtained 6 to 15 months after administration of the drug. Although wide variations in the thickness of basement membranes were observed between capillaries in the same biopsy of each animal, no significant differences were found between the mean values of the experimental group when compared with those of 5 control animals. These results seem to support the "genetic theory" of diabetic microangiopathies. It may prove of considerable interest to repeat these observations in more chronic stages of carbohydrate intolerance.