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Diabetes mellitus can lead to reproductive disorders that in turn result in weakened fertility brought about by morphofunctional changes in the testes and accessory sex glands. However, doubts persist concerning the basic biology of the secretory epithelial cells and the stroma of the coagulating gland of diabetic mice. Thus, the objective of the present study was to analyze the histological and ultrastructural changes associated with stereology of the coagulating gland of mice with alloxan-induced diabetes, and of spontaneously diabetic mice. Sixteen mice of the C57BL/6J strain, and eight non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice were used. The animals were divided into three groups: 1) control (C), 2) alloxan diabetic (AD), and 3) NOD. Thirty days after the detection of diabetic status in group 2, all of the animals were killed and then perfused with Karnovsky's solution through the left cardiac ventricle. The coagulating gland was then removed and processed for morphometric study by light microscopy and electron microscopy. The results showed thickening of the stroma, atrophy of secretory epithelial cells, and disorganization of the organelles involved in the secretory process in both NOD and alloxan-induced mice. Thus, it may be concluded that the coagulating gland suffered drastic morphological changes, and consequently impaired glandular function, in the presence of diabetes mellitus type I in both NOD and AD mice., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Morphological and functional changes caused by diabetes in the accessory sex organs and especially the prostate have been reported by several investigators. The aim of the present study was to examine the possible deleterious effects of experimentally induced diabetes on the secretory epithelium of the ventral prostate of mice. Sixteen adult male C57BL/6J mice were divided into two groups. The diabetic group received a streptozotocin injection of 75 mg/kg, while the control group received only 0.1 ml citrate buffer, i.p. After 30 days, the diabetic state was ascertained, the animals were sacrificed and the ventral lobe of the prostate was collected for histological and ultrastructural examination. The results showed reduction in glandular epithelium cell height, increased numbers of cytoplasmic vacuoles and thickening of the extracellular matrix. In conclusion, experimental diabetes has harmful effects on the secretory epithelial cells of the ventral lobe of the prostate of mice.