Maternal protein restriction during gestation impairs female offspring pancreas development in the rat

A maternal low-protein (LP) diet programs fetal pancreatic islet beta cell development and function and predisposes offspring to metabolic dysfunction later in life. We hypothesized that maternal protein restriction during pregnancy differentially alters beta and alpha cell populations in offspring by modifying islet ontogeny and function throughout life. We aimed to investigate the effect of an LP maternal diet on pancreatic islet morphology and cellular composition in female offspring on postnatal day (PND) 7, 14, 21, 36 and 110.
Source: Nutrition Research - Category: Nutrition Authors: Source Type: research