Long-term effects of gestational diabetes mellitus on the pancreas of female mouse offspring.

Background: Prolonged fetal exposure to hyperglycemia may increase the risk of developing abnormal glucose metabolism and type-2 diabetes during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood; however, the mechanisms by which gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) predisposes offspring to metabolic disorders remain unknown.

Aim: To quantify the nerve axons, macrophages, and vasculature in the pancreas from adult offspring born from mouse dams with GDM.

Methods: GDM was induced by administration of streptozotocin (STZ) in ICR mouse dams.