Basal Lamina of Abdominal Skeletal Muscle Capillaries in Diabetics and

In a "blind " study, skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from the trunk of 13 non-diabetics, eight chemical diabetics, and four overt diabetics of comparable age. On electron micrographs of 20 capillaries from each case, the areas of various components of the capillary structure were measured with a planimeter. The area of the basal hlm-ina was expressed as a percentage of the total vessel area. This method for measuring objectively the relative thickness of capillary basal lamina considered the vessel size, plane of sectioning, and the function state of the vessel. The theoretical validity of the method is discussed. The widths of the basal lamina of the capillaries of the trunk skeletal muscles of both diabetics and nondiabetics were identical. Morphological differences between the two groups were not present. The discrepancies in results of investigations coincerneci with the quantity of basal lamina in capillaries of skeletal muscle may be due to naturally occurring regional differences, or because capillary beds of different organs or tissues may be affected differently in diabetes mellitus. Vascular disease SINCE the advent of insulin, the most seri-ous complications of the diabetic state are related to degenerative changes of the vessels, which are more severe and occur at an earlier age than in nondiabetics. While the arteriosclerosis cannot be differentiated morphologically from that of nondiabetics, the alterations of the small vessels in retinas and renal glomeruh are generally considered to be characteristic of diabetes mellitus. A search for similar lesions in the capllaries of other organs began with the first description of retinal changes several decades ago. Atten-tion has focused on the thickened capillary From the Laboratory Service of the Veterans Ad