Research Communications of the 27(th) ECVIM-CA Congress: Intercontinental, Saint Julian's, Malta, 14th to 16th September 2017

In conclusion, the reduced number of granules might suggest that the remaining pool of beta-cells in diabetic cats is less functional or exhausted by the excessive workload. The reason behind the larger granule size is uncertain. The increased inter-cristae distance of mitochondria in diabetic cats, as well as their swollen appearance, might suggest increased permeability and loss of function. The appearance of amylin-positive material outside of granules suggests intracellular aggregation of amylin monomers to oligomers, which may possibly contribute to beta-cell death.