CX3CR1 and diabetes mellitus: To further analyze the role of CX3CR1, other studies have compared the effect of STZ-induced diabetes in CX3CR1GFP/GFP, CX3CR1+/GFP and CX3CR1+/+ mice showing that CX3CR1GFP/GFP mice have more acellular capillaries (capillary-sized vessel tubes having no nuclei anywhere along their length), indicative of the vascular damage and increased apoptosis.