Replacing laboratory animals by alternative material for teaching diabetes in practical classes

Abstract

We developed alternative material for practical classes substituting laboratory animals to teach diabetes. For each group of students we used three small toy rats made of cloth. These had a ventral zipper that allowed stuffing with glass marbles to reach different weights. We then put the toy rats into metabolic cages with real food and water to simulate the real situation, and with recipients containing artificial urine simulating a sample collection after 24 hours. For each cage we had also prepared a recipient containing artificial blood consisting of a solution containing congo red, sodium fluoride, amide, and different amounts of anhydric glucose to simulate normal glycemia, hyperglycemia and very high hyperglycemia. The artificial urine contained acetone, yellow methanyl and anhydric glucose in different amounts so as to simulate two different levels of glycosuria. To simulate urine of a normal rat this was prepared without adding glucose. An ACCUCHECK Advantage (ACCU‐CHECK) system was used to measure glycemia levels. Ketonuria levels were analyzed by means of the uricolor bioassay.The students were asked to enter the following values into a table, weight of the animal, amount of the urine and food collected, glycemia level, and presence or absence of ketonuria. Based on these data the students were asked to discuss the different types of diabetes.