Search results for "Pineal Gland"
showing 10 items of 143 documents
Serotonergic modulation of rat pineal gland activity: in vivo evidence for a 5-Hydroxytryptamine(2C) receptor involvement
2000
There are some suggestions that, in the pineal gland, serotonin acts not only as a precursor of melatonin but also plays a role in the modulation of the pineal biosynthetic activity. To corroborate this possible neuromodulatory role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) (5-HT) on the pineal gland, the effects of two 5-HT(2) receptor agonists meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) and 1-(2, 5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane were assessed in vivo on pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and melatonin content in rats. m-CPP potentiated the enhancement of NAT activity and pineal melatonin content induced by isoproterenol administration during daytime, whereas it did not affect the diurnal …
Expression of connexin36 in the adult and developing rat brain.
2000
The distribution of connexin36 (Cx36) in the adult rat brain and retina has been analysed at the protein (immunofluorescence) and mRNA (in situ hybridization) level. Cx36 immunoreactivity, consisting primarily of round or elongated puncta, is highly enriched in specific brain regions (inferior olive and the olfactory bulb), in the retina, in the anterior pituitary and in the pineal gland, in agreement with the high levels of Cx36 mRNA in the same regions. A lower density of immunoreactive puncta can be observed in several brain regions, where only scattered subpopulations of cells express Cx36 mRNA. By combining in situ hybridization for Cx36 mRNA with immunohistochemistry for a general neu…
Chemical sympathectomy and clorgyline-induced stimulation of rat pineal melatonin synthesis
1989
The response to administration of the specific monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) blocker clorgyline was investigated in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats which were sympathectomized by injection of the false neurotransmitter 6-hydroxydopamine as newborns. In intact animals which served as controls, the contents of pineal indoles melatonin, serotonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan were augmented, and the content of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid decreased 90 min following clorgyline injections when compared to saline receiving rats. Sympathectomized animals exhibited similar responses but these were less pronounced. It is suggested that blocking of the oxidation of both MAO-A substrates, noradrenaline and serotoni…
Precise annual changes in the numbers of "synaptic" ribbons and spherules in the rat pineal gland.
1988
Although pineal "synaptic" ribbons (SR) are frequently examined by means of quantitative electron microscopy, their functional significance remains unclear. The same is true for related structures—"synaptic" spherules (SPH). In the course of such studies, it has been noted that SR counts may differ from laboratory to laboratory. Because seasonal changes may play a role, a 2-year study was performed on male rats kept under routine laboratory conditions and killed at monthly intervals during daytime or nighttime. Both structures examined showed distinct day-night differences throughout the year, with higher numbers at night than during the day. There were significant annual changes in both S…
Inverse behaviour of "synaptic" ribbon and spherule numbers in the pineal gland of male guinea-pigs exposed to continuous illumination.
1986
There is increasing evidence that pineal “synaptic” ribbons are a heterogeneous population of organelles. In addition to “synaptic” ribbons (SR) sensu stricto, which consist of an electron-dense rod surrounded by electronlucent vesicles, “synaptic” spherules (SS) exist, the electrondense core of which is round and much wider than that of the SR. In the guinea-pig SR and SS numbers exhibit an inverse day/night rhythmicity. To gain more insight into the functional significance of SR and SS, guinea-pigs were exposed to continuous illumination for approximately 4 months (LL) and the respective structures in the pineal gland were quantitated under the electron microscope and compared with contro…
The ependyma on the pineal of the guinea pig (Cavia cobaya)
1978
The proximal part of the epiphysis cerebri of the guinea pig is in close contact with the cerebrosopinal fluid of the third ventricle. A direct contact is not present as the pineal tissue is covered by a continuous ependymal layer. Two types of ependymal cells with different surface protrusions are discussed as being involved in possible interactions between the neuroendocrine tissue of the pineal organ and the cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, two different types of supraependymal structures are found on the ependymal surface of the habenulae and the wall of the third ventricle. Because of their morphological characteristics, these supraependymal structures are thought to be neural element…
The shape of synaptic ribbons in the rat pineal gland
1997
Under the transmission electron microscope, synaptic ribbons (SRs) of the mammalian pineal gland appear as rod-like organelles. Their three-dimensional structure is not precisely known. In the present study, pineal SRs were investigated using serial sections obtained from rats killed at noon and midnight. The shape of the SRs was reconstructed based on SR profile length and the number of sections in which the profiles were contained. The results obtained show that SRs are basically flat plate-like structures with polymorphic lateral edges. Reconstructions of SRs revealed that they had average dimensions of 300x150x35 nm and were 19.3% larger at night than at day; the difference in SR size p…
Adaptation of the disector method to rare small organelles in TEM sections exemplified by counting synaptic bodies in the rat pineal gland
1997
The disector is the only objective method for quantifying particles of variable size in a given volume. With this method, cell organelles are identified on adjacent sections, but only those present in one section are counted. When counting extremely rare structures in transmission electron microscope sections (physical disector), the usual procedure of counting on electron micrographs is limited for economic reasons (e.g. micrographs highly outnumbering the investigated structures). Hence, to apply this unbiased stereological method, a modification of the physical disector concerning 3 aspects has been developed. (1) The prerequisite of screening large corresponding tissue areas (here appro…
Bizarre alterations of the morphology of pineal synaptic bodies under constant light and an evaluation of suitable 3D-reconstruction software
2004
Three dimensional (3D) reconstruction and modelling software was evaluated to find a procedure suitable for visualization of small subcellular structures in transmission electron microscope images. The method applied in this study demonstrates bizarre alterations of the structure of synaptic bodies (SBs) in pinealocytes of the guinea-pig pineal gland caused by constant illumination. It can, in general, be used for any 3D reconstruction from serial sections. Pineal glands of five guinea-pigs (two kept under a LD cycle of 12:12 h; three kept in constant light, for 4 months) were investigated. SBs consist of an electron-dense centre with attached vesicles. Under normal lighting conditions most…
Analysis of synaptic bodies in the Sprague–Dawley rat pineal gland under extreme photoperiods
2007
Synaptic bodies (SBs) are small, prominent organelles in pinealocytes, most probably involved in signal transduction processes. To check the influence of the photoperiod on their shape plasticity and number we chose two extreme lighting conditions, i.e. 20 h of illumination followed by 4 h of darkness (LD 20:4) versus (LD 4:20). Pineal glands were assessed at 0, 4 and 13 h after dark onset. Under both conditions reconstructed SBs were plates or ribbons but never spheres and there were no obvious differences in morphology. Photoperiodic changes in SB profile size and number were investigated: application of the established method for SB quantification based on single section profile counts (…