Diabetes in the Chinese hamster

According to Yerganian, 1 the first recorded experimental use of the Chinese hamster, Cricetulus griseus , was for the identification of pneumococcal types prior to treatment of pneumonia at the Peking Medical College Hospital in 1919 because laboratory mice were not available. 2 The Chinese or “striped-back” hamster is recognized by the black stripe that runs down the middle of the otherwise yellowish-brown fur on its back. The hamster is also known for its low chromosome number (2N = 22 as compared with the human 46 or golden hamster 44), thin cheek-pouch membrane, proportionally large and fully descended testes (10% of body wt!), 1 and spontaneous, hereditary diabetes mellitus. The Chinese hamster is referred to as a “dwarf” hamster because young adults weigh only 28–40 g 3 compared with the much larger, 120 g Syrian or golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, which is used in the laboratory and as a house pet. Due to the unusually small number of chromosomes, Chinese hamster cells are convenient for chromosomal studies. The development of immortal cell lines has made this even easier. During the last decade in several hundred studies cell lines developed from nondiabetic Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, ovary, and other tissues have been used. Thus, the Chinese hamster has become a significant contributor to medical research.