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Diet-Induced Diabetes in the Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus)

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Book cover Animal Models in Diabetes Research

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 933))

Abstract

Insulin deficiency is the underlying cause of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. The gerbil Psammomys obesus (P. obesus) is a naturally insulin resistant rodent with tendency to develop diet-induced hyperglycemia associated with obesity. P. obesus does not exhibit hyperglycemia in its natural desert habitat, feeding on low caloric vegetation. However, when fed regular laboratory chow containing higher caloric density, the animals develop moderate obesity and hyperglycemia. Diabetes development and progression is very fast in P. obesus. The animals reach the irreversible hypoinsulinemic stage of the disease, in which a marked reduction of β-cell mass is apparent, within 4–6 weeks of high caloric diet. The present review describes the P. obesus of the Hebrew University colony, with emphasis on its use for the study of β-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology and Metabolism Service, Department of Medicine, Hadassah—Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Nurit Kaiser, Erol Cerasi & Gil Leibowitz

Authors
  1. Nurit Kaiser
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  2. Erol Cerasi
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  3. Gil Leibowitz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nurit Kaiser .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Pharmacology, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, Nuthetal, 14558, Germany

    Hans-Georg Joost

  2. German Diabetes Centre, Clinical Biochemistry &Pathobiochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Auf'm Hennekamp 65, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany

    Hadi Al-Hasani

  3. , Department of Experimental Diabetology, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, Nuthetal, 14558, Germany

    Annette Schürmann

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Kaiser, N., Cerasi, E., Leibowitz, G. (2012). Diet-Induced Diabetes in the Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus). In: Joost, HG., Al-Hasani, H., Schürmann, A. (eds) Animal Models in Diabetes Research. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 933. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-068-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-068-7_7

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-067-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-068-7

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