biostudies-literatureUnknown600(7)Southam KAccurate modelling type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications in rodents has proven a challenge, largely as a result of the long-time course of disease development in humans. In the present study, we aimed to develop and comprehensively characterise a new rodent model of type 2 diabetes. To do this, we fed Sprague-Dawley rats a high fat/high sugar diet (HFD) to induce obesity and dyslipidaemia. After 3 weeks, we s.c. implanted osmotic mini pumps to enable a 14 day, slow infusion of streptozotocin (STZ; lower dose = 100 mg kg^-1 ; higher dose = 120 mg kg^-1 ) to dose-dependently reduce pancreatic beta cell mass. After removing the mini pumps, we monitored animals for 4 months using a battery of tests to assess both metabolic and neurodegenerative changes across time. OurThe Journal of physiology1611-1630https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9541365biostudies-literatureDevelopment and characterisation of a rat model that exhibits both metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration seen in type 2 diabetes.PMC9541365Southam Kde Sousa CPremilovac DTaylor BVDaniel AFoa LfalseDevelopment and characterisation of a rat model that exhibits both metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration seen in type 2 diabetes.Accurate modelling type 2 diabetes and diabetic complications in rodents has proven a challenge, largely as a result of the long-time course of disease development in humans. In the present study, we aimed to develop and comprehensively characterise a new rodent model of type 2 diabetes. To do this, we fed Sprague-Dawley rats a high fat/high sugar diet (HFD) to induce obesity and dyslipidaemia. After 3 weeks, we s.c. implanted osmotic mini pumps to enable a 14 day, slow infusion of streptozotocin (STZ; lower dose = 100 mg kg^-1 ; higher dose = 120 mg kg^-1 ) to dose-dependently reduce pancreatic beta cell mass. After removing the mini pumps, we monitored animals for 4 months using a battery of tests to assess both metabolic and neurodegenerative changes across time. Our2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Apr2025-04-05T20:11:47.059Z2025-04-05T20:11:47.059ZS-EPMC95413653512866710.1113/JP282454