Effect of diabetes mellitus on rat placenta cellularity

Transcellular placental maternofetal flux of calcium and magnesium is reduc ed in diabetic pregnancy in the rat which might be due to changes in placen tal cellularity. In order to investigate this wet and dry weight, DNA and p rotein content were measured in placentas from untreated diabetic (D-O), in sulin-treated diabetic (D-I) and control rats (C) on day 21 of gestation (t erm = 23 days). Wet and dry weights (mg; mean+/-S.E.M.) were 418+/-13, 474/-19, 416+/-14 and 66+/-3, 75+/-3, 67+/-3 in C, D-O and D-I groups, respect ively. Total DNA and protein content (mg) was 1.8+/-0.2, 1.7+/-0.1, 1.5+/-0 .1 and 50.4+/-2.4, 54.9+/-2.6, 51.9+/-3.3 in C, D-O and D-I groups, respect ively. The data suggest that placental cellularity is unaffected by materna l diabetes mellitus in the rat and is unlikely to directly affect maternofe tal flux of calcium and magnesium. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A ll rights reserved.