6533b7d5fe1ef96bd126468b
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Lack of "Synaptic" Ribbons in the Pineal Gland of BALB/c Mice
Lutz VollrathY. Satohsubject
endocrine systemmedicine.medical_specialtyRatónCell CommunicationPineal GlandBALB/cPinealocyteMelatoninSynapseMicePineal glandEndocrinologyInternal medicineOrganoidmedicineAnimalsMelatoninMice Inbred BALB Cbiologybiology.organism_classificationOrganoidsEndocrinologymedicine.anatomical_structureUltrastructureFemalehormones hormone substitutes and hormone antagonistsmedicine.drugdescription
In mammalian pinealocytes "synaptic" ribbons (SR) are regularly occurring organelles that are functionally poorly understood. Since in a number of studies on the mouse pineal gland the presence of SR has not been mentioned, it was the aim of this investigation to quantitate SR in mice. BALB/c mice were chosen, which have recently been shown to have a genetic defect for melatonin synthesis. The pineals of 15 mice killed at night, when SR numbers are normally high, were examined electron microscopically, scanning an area of greater than 20,000 micron 2 per gland. In none of these pineals were SR detected. It is concluded that the lack or extreme rarity of SR in laboratory mice may be related to the inability of the gland to synthesize melatonin, not to the absence of melatonin per se, as melatonin administration in mice does not result in the occurrence of SR.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-01-01 | Journal of Pineal Research |