Streptozotocin-Diabetes in the Chinese Hamster

Intraperitoneal administration of 200 mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin to non-diabetic adult Chinese hamsters, evoked a triphasic blood glucose response. There was a hyperglycemic peak after 3 hours and a hypoglycemic phase with a minimum at 6 hours, after which time there was a rather rapid return to hyperglycemia. Light and electron microscopic examinations during the first 24 hours after the injection of streptozotocin showed pyknosis, vacuolization, marked degeneration and necrosis of the β-cells. Degenerative and necrotic changes were also seen in a few α2-cells. The results denote that in the Chinese hamster streptozotocin has an early and direct cytotoxic action on the β-cells and probably also on a few α2-cells.