SDT rats show stable/definite diabetic symptoms compared to GK rats. SDT rat is not required the diet induce to conduct diabetes and diabetic complication research.
Since it is shipped from Thailand, it is possible to deliver the animals costly and quickly to Southeast Asian countries. 

SDT rats are CLEA Japan's original model of type 2 diabetes and show a tendency for diabetic symptoms to more prominent and stable than the other diabetes rat models. It was introduced in Thailand because the demand is expected to be expanded in Southeast Asia.

Please see the comparison of SDT rats vs. GK rats, another diabetes rat model that SDT rat shows some advantage against it.

Body Weight

Glucose

Crisis rate

Other features

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic neuropathy (Motor nerve conduction velocity)

Diabetic nephropathy

1. 1. The hyperplasia of the mesangial area in SDT rats was also evident from the findings of PAS positive↑, MT fibers↑, and Collagen type IV(+).
2. 2. The progression of loop thickening was relatively slow, and KW-like nodules were observed only slightly at 50 and 68 weeks of age. ↑ Diffuse hyperplasia.

Manuscript

Shinohara M, Masuyama T, Shoda T, Takahashi T, Katsuda Y, Komeda K, Kuroki M, Kakehashi A, Kanazawa Y.
A new spontaneously diabetic non-obese Torii rat strain with severe ocular complications. Int J Exp Diabetes Res. 2000; 1: 89-100.

Masuyama T, Komeda K, Hara A, Noda M, Shinohara M, Oikawa T, Kanazawa Y, Taniguchi K. Chronological
characterization of diabetes development in male Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rats. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2004; 314: 870-7.

Masuyama T, Fuse M, Yokoi N, Shinohara M, Tsujii H, Kanazawa M, Kanazawa Y, Komeda K, Taniguchi K.
Genetic analysis for diabetes in a new rat model of nonobese type 2 diabetes, Spontaneously Diabetic Torii rat.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003; 304: 196-206.

Shinohara M, Shoda T, Oikawa T, Masuyama T, Takahashi T, Katsuda Y, Komeda K, Sato K, Kanazawa Y. Diabetic features of female SDT rats with spontaneous type 2 diabetes mellitus. J. Japan Diab. Soc. 2004; 47: 111-6. (in Japanese)

Shinohara M, Oikawa T, Sato K, Kanazawa Y. Glucose intolerance and hyperlipidemia prior to diabetes onset in female Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rats. Experimental Diab Res. 2004; 5: 253-6.

Kakehashi A, Kanazawa Y. SDT rat: A new diabetic retinopathy animal model. Endocrinology & Diabetology.
2001; 12: 386-90. (in Japanese)

Kakehashi A. Pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy: Lessons from diabetic animal model. Endocrinology & Diabetology.
2003; 17: 31-7. (in Japanese)

Kakehashi A, Saito Y, Mori K, Sugi N, Ono R, Yamagami H, Shinohara M, Tamemoto H, Ishikawa S, Kawakami M, Kanazawa Y.
Characteristics of diabetic retinopathy in SDT rats. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2005; in press.

Yamada H, Yamada E, Higuchi A, Matsumura M. Retinal neovascularisation without ischemia in the Spontaneously
Diabetic Torii rat. Diabetologia. 2005; in press.

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