From Jackson Labs: The Akita strain is a monogenic model for phenotypes associated with type 1 diabetes. A spontaneous mutation in the insulin 2 gene leads to incorrect folding of the insulin protein producing toxicity in pancreatic <df> cells, reduced <df> cell mass and reduced insulin secretion. Heterozygous Ins2Akita mice develop insulin dependent diabetes, including hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinemia, polydipsia, and polyuria by 3-4 weeks. The phenotype is more severe in males than females. Obesity and insulitis do not accompany diabetes. Akita mice may be useful for testing islet transplantation and studying diabetic complications such as nephropathy, sympathetic autonomic neuropathy, and macrovascular disease.