Morphological effects of diabetes on the granular ducts and acini of the rat submandibular gland.

Effects of experimental diabetes on rat submandibular glands have been documented, but earlier reports suggested that diabetes caused an extensive cellular degeneration and a replacement of the parenchymal cells by fibrous connective tissue. Such observations, however, are difficult to reconcile with the relatively normal physiological responsiveness of the gland (Anderson and Suleiman, 1989). This study, therefore, reexamined the histological, histochemical and ultrastructural effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on rat submandibular glands. The tissues were examined at 3 weeks, and 3 and 6 months after the induction of diabetes, and compared with glands from age-matched controls by both light and electron microscopy. Light microscopically, the proportional volumes of the acini and granular ducts remained constant in control rats at about 48% and 38% respectively. In diabetic animals the volume density of the acini increased progressively to 62%, whereas that of the granular ducts decreased to 20%. The diameter and number of granular ducts were reduced in diabetic animals, but acinar cell profile area was only affected 6 months after the induction of diabetes. Ultrastructurally, there was an accumulation of lipid in the acinar cells and, with increasing duration of diabetes, the number of autophagic structures in both the acini and the granular ducts increased. Although there was evidence of some cellular degeneration it was never excessive. Morphometry showed that the volume density of secretory granules within the acinar cells was unaffected, but there was a significant reduction in the volume density of secretory granules within the granular ducts. Thus, in the rat submandibular gland the greatest effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes was to cause hypotrophic changes in the cells of the granular ducts. The relative contributions of a direct effect of insulin insufficiency and the hypogonadal effects of diabetes, however, are not known.