[(Pro)insulin biosynthesis of isolated islands of Langerhans in the sand rat and Wistar rat].

Sand rats develop a diabetes-like syndrome, connected with temporary hyperinsulinism, when fed a rat laboratory chow diet. The conversion of proinsulin to insulin is not disturbed in these animals. Sand rat islets do not secrete newly synthesized (pro) insulin preferentially. Time course and glucose response of [3H]-leucine incorporation are different between islets of sand rats and Wistar rats.