Skip to main content
Fig. 5 | BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

Fig. 5

From: Metformin and Gegen Qinlian Decoction boost islet α-cell proliferation of the STZ induced diabetic rats

Fig. 5

GQD and Metformin significantly increase islet α-cell mass and Smst mRNA expression of diabetic rats. A, Immunofluorescent double labeling of insulin and glucagon in the pancreas; B, Insulin positive cell number of islets. Diabetes significantly decreased insulin cell number compared to the control (p < 0.001); C, Glucagon positive cell number of islets. GQD or metformin increased the glucagon cell number of diabetic rats (p < 0.05); D, Insulin plus glucagon positive cell number. The diabetes group had a lower cell number compared to the control (p < 0.001) and the GQD or metformin group had a higher cell number than the diabetes group (p < 0.05); E, Ins1 mRNA expression. Diabetes suppressed the Ins1 expression of the control; F, Gcg mRNA expression; G, Smst mRNA expression. The Smst expression level in GQD or metformin group was higher than the diabetes group (p < 0.05). (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001; Scale bar = 50 μm; magnification: 400×; B n = 22–24; E, n = 4)

Back to article page