Histology of the endocrine pancreas of bats: a model for the study of diabetes in humans

Abstract

The Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus has had higher incidence rates in recent years increased in recent years, being the most common autoimmune disease in childhood, where individuals with the disease have reduced β cell function when compared to healthy controls. This article seeks to point out, through a bibliographic review, the use of the histological aspects of the endocrine pancreas of bats as the model for studying diabetes in humans. In this field, several studies indicate that species of hematophagous bats such as Desmodus rotundus and Diphylla eucadata have pancreatic and insulin release characteristics very similar to that of humans, making them model species for the study of diabetes. Also, the frugivorous bat, Artibeus lituratus, presents characteristics of insulin release in the pancreas much more efficient than observed in other mammals. As studied in the article, it was concluded that D. rotundus and D. eucadata are species that can be studied together due to their similarity, one serving as an affirmation for the results found in the other, it was also proposed that more studies about pancreatic functioning in A. lituratus are carried out, in order to seek possible solutions for the diabetes disease.