ULTRASTRUCTURE OF MUSCLE BIOPSIES IN RECENT, SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM JUVENILE DIABETES

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Abstract
Muscle biopsies from juvenile diabetics were studied by EM and the results correlated with light microscopical abnormalities of the same biopsies. A total of 32 striated muscle biopsies from 29 juvenile recent, short-term and long-term diabetes were examined. The ages ranged from 16-43 yr with a diabetes duration from 1 wk to 32 yr. The material was compared with biopsies from healthy persons of the same ages. The EM revealed degenerative changes of the striated muscle fibers which signified a neurogenic atrophy. No myopathic alterations were found. The capillaries in both the recent and long-term diabetics showed an extremely pronounced pinocytosis indicating an increased metabolic activity. In the long-term group the intramuscular capillaries both from upper and lower extremities displayed a definitely thickened basement membrane. In the recent and short-term group the capillary wall alterations were debatable. The motor end plate in the recent diabetics revealed minimal alterations. Contrary to this the long-term group showed severe alterations with occasional disappearance of the nerve fibers.