UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Diaz, William
Dept./Program:
Cell and Molecular Biology Program
Year:
2012
Degree:
M.S.
Abstract:
There were no significant differences in body weight, fed blood glucose levels, BCM or [Beta]-cell proliferation between CVX and sham treated rats at either the 3-day or 7 week timepoints. However, there were significant changes in cell size (a component of BCM) and in the prevalence of islets in specific size categories in both the 3-day and 7 week postsurgical animals, with distinct differences between +/+ andfa/fa males. The loss of islets in the largest size class in 7 week ZF males after CVX, coupled with a trend towards decreased BCM suggests that the vagus plays a role in long term mass compensation, but that other factors during metabolic development in juvenile rats override vagal denervation of the pancreas during the period immediately after weaning. Also notable is the resilience of female rats in response to CVX, showing almost no significant differences between CVX and sham animals in the parameters examined.