Abstract:
Background: The liver plays a critical role in metabolism, detoxification,
hematopoiesis, and immune defense. The impact of maternal diabetes mellitus on liver histogenesis
during early postnatal ontogenesis remains insufficiently studied, despite the increasing prevalence
of diabetes among women of reproductive age and data indicating its effect on the development of
fetal parenchymal organs. Methods: The experimental study was conducted on 50 white outbred
female rats (25 control, 25 experimental) with diabetes induced by a single intraperitoneal injection
of alloxan (13 mg/100 g). Offspring (n=253) were examined on postnatal days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 30.
Histological liver examination was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining, and
morphometric analysis was carried out with QuPath 0.5.1 software. Parameters assessed included
lobule area and diameter, hepatocyte and nuclear dimensions, mitotic count, nuclear-cytoplasmic
ratio, and fibrotic changes. Results: In the control group, liver tissue demonstrated progressive
formation of beam and vascular architecture, bile duct maturation, and a reduction in mitotic activity
by day 30. The experimental group exhibited disorganized beam structure, persistent cytoplasmic
vacuolization in hepatocytes, delayed development of portal tracts, and increased numbers of mitoses
and binuclear cells. Morphometry showed significantly larger lobule and hepatocyte dimensions and
moderate collagen accumulation in portal areas (p<0.001). Conclusion: Maternal diabetes mellitus
has a significant negative effect on liver morphogenesis in offspring during early postnatal
ontogenesis, manifested by delayed differentiation, architectural disorganization, and early signs of
fibrosis
