There are several models of diabetes in rodents. The streptozotocin (STZ) model is widely used in the literature as a model of Type 1 diabetes. Mice or rats are administered intraperitoneal streptozotocin, which ablates pancreatic ß-cells and leads to hyperglycemia. This model faithfully recapitulates many of the charateristics of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Our scientists are also experienced with the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model that spontaneously develops Type 1 diabetes, the Akita mouse which contains a mutation in the insulin 2 gene modeling Type 1 diabetes, and the Leprdb/db mouse that models Type 2 diabetes.