THE BHE RAT - AN ANIMAL-MODEL FOR THE STUDY OF NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Most rodents that spontaneously develop non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are obese. The exception is the BHE rat. This rat develops abnormal glucose tolerance by 300 days of age, is lipemic, has a fatty liver, and yet is not obese. The strain has existed for at least 40 years and almost 100 research papers have been published describing its metabolic characteristics and responses to diet manipulation. A subline that has a higher percentage of diabetic animals has been produced. These animals may be useful in the study of mild diabetes that exists in the absence of obesity.