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The fine structure of the pineal gland of normal, pregnant and experimentally affected guinea-pigs

Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und Mikroskopische Anatomie, ISSN: 1432-0878, Vol: 114, Issue: 1, Page: 38-60
1971
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  • Citations
    88
    • Citation Indexes
      88
  • Captures
    1

Article Description

By means of electron microscopy "light" and "dark" pinealocytes can be distinguished in the guinea-pig pineal gland. Glial cells are rare. In the "light" pinealocyte. the most frequent cell type, some "vesicle-crowned rodlets" (VCR) show circumscribed thickenings. From these structures "vesicle-crowned balls" (VCB) have to be clearly distinguished. Furthermore "cylinders" occur, which, it is suggested, are precursors of VCB. "Dark" pinealocytes characterized by chromatin-rich nuclei and electron-dense cytoplasm are rare and contain fewer vesicles, VCR, VCB and "cylinders" than "light" pinealocytes. Numerous non-myelinated nerve fibres are situated within perivascular spaces, a few also in the parenchyma. Synapses between nerve fibres and pinealocytes were not observed. In the pineal gland of pregnant guinea-pigs the following changes can be observed in the second half of gestation. The "light" cells show many nuclear indentations and an increase of "active" zones, mitochondria, smooth ER, agranular vesicles, VCR, VCB, and "cylinders" respectively. The "dark" cells increase in number. After birth these changes reverse to normal within one week. Constant darkness leads to an activation of the "light" cells accompanied by an increase of the VCR and to an increase in number of the "dark" cells. Under constant illumination the "light" cells show a decrease of their organelles and a strong increase of the VCR. After 70 days the VCR also show a change in shape. Following reserpine treatment the VCR decrease in number and show signs of degeneration. It is discussed that the VCR function as pre- or postsynaptic structures and that they are involved either in transmitting impulses from nerve fibres to pinealocytes or from one pinealocyte to the other. © 1971 Springer-Verlag.

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