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Abstract
The fatty acid composition of untreated alloxan-diabetic and normal rat retinal tissue was compared and the relative abundance of endothelial and mural cells in the retinal capillaries was estimated. Arachidonate and docosahexaenoate were decreased in diabetic retinal tissue; linoleate was increased. The changes observed indicate that insulin is required to maintain a normal rate of polyenoic fatty acid synthesis in retinal tissue. No selective loss of mural cells from the retinal capillaries could be found.