1. It has been proposed that increased fructose contributes to the formation of fluorescent pigments in diabetic tissues. 2. Since the aldose reductase inhibitor sorbinil lowers glomerular fructose concentrations, we examined the effect of sorbinil on the formation of advanced glycation end products in glomerular basement membrane of streptozotocin diabetic rats. 3. Treatment with sorbinil for 30 days after induction of diabetes did not influence the increased fluorescence observed in collagen from glomerular basement membrane of untreated diabetic rats. 4. The results suggest that nonenzymatic glycation by fructose is not a major contributor to the formation of fluorescent advanced glycation end products in basement membrane in experimental diabetes.