effects of 7 days starvation and refeeding on livers of normal albino, and genetically diabetic [db/db] mice: a biochemical and morphological study

ABSTRACT

This study examines the effects of 7 day starvation and refeeding on plasma glucose, hepatic glycogen%, and hepatic ultrastructure in normal and db/db mice At the end of the starvation period, normal animals lost 40% of their total body weight, while the obese db/db mice lost only 10%. Plasma glucose levels were 40 +/- 9 mg% in normal, and 220 +/- 42 mg% in db/db mice. Traces of glycogen were detected in both livers [n 0.3 +/- 0.01%, db/db 0.5 +/- 0.04%]. Electron micrographs showed accumulation of lipid droplets, large autophagic vacules, and swollen mitochondria in starved normal liver cells, while starved db/db hepatocytes contained larger and normally looking mitochondria. Four hours after feeding, plasma glucose and hepatic glycogen rose to ad lib levels and stayed thereafter. In micrographs, lipid droplets and lysosomes were replaced by glycogen masses. Diabetic mice, however, always maintained higher plasma glucose, and larger lipid droplets in liver cells before and after feeding. It is concluded from this study that, normal and diabetic mice respond differently to starvation and refeeding. Plasma glucose levels and cell morphology recover earlier in normal mice