Journal articles on the topic 'Pineal gland'
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1
Afroz, Halima, Abu Sadat Mohammad Nurunnabi, Mushfika Rahman, Nurun Nahar, and Shamim Ara. "Different Shapes of The Human Pineal Gland A Study On 60 Autopsy Cases." Journal of Dhaka Medical College 23, no. 2 (October 23, 2015): 211–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jdmc.v23i2.25393.
Abstract:
Context: The pineal gland has been described as an endocrine or neuroendocrine gland; however, its functions in humans are still to be defined. Different shapes of the human pineal gland have been identified. Due to its small size and different shapes recognition of this gland is much critical. Besides, due to its cellularity it may be mistaken for a neoplasm. Hence, a sound knowledge on different shapes of the pineal gland is essential for neurosurgeons, radiologists and pathologists for better diagnosis and management of pineal disorders.Methods: A descriptive study was done in the Department of Anatomy, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, from July 2009 to June 2010, to see the morphological shape of the human pineal gland. The present study was performed on 60 human pineal glands collected from whole human brains of unclaimed dead bodies that were under postmortem examination in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka. The pineal gland was collected from the brain by meticulous dissection. Then, the shape of the pineal gland was observed under the magnifying glass.Results: In the present study, pea-shaped pineal glands were found 60% in group A, 30% in group B, 5% in both group C and D, while pine cone shaped were found 25% in group A, 37.5% in group B, 25% in group C and 12.5% in group D. Besides, fusiform shaped glands were found 18.2% in group A, 63.6% in group B, 9.1% in both group C and D, where as piriform shaped found 66.7% in group B, and 16.7% in both group C and D. Moreover, cone-shaped glands were found 28.6% in group B, 57.1% in group C and 14.3% in group D.J Dhaka Medical College, Vol. 23, No.2, October, 2014, Page 211-214
2
Semicheva, T. V., and A. Yu Garibashvili. "Epiphysis: current data on physiology and pathology." Problems of Endocrinology 46, no. 4 (August 15, 2000): 38–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.14341/probl11864.
Abstract:
Today the pineal gland is one of the most “titled” endocrine glands, but interest in it has not diminished, but continues to increase. A Melatonin Club has been organized and operates, and Jounal of Pineal Research, Advances in Pineal Research, and European Pineal Society News are published. The rapid development of chronobiology led to the elimination of the leading role of the pineal gland and its hormone melatonin in the implementation of circadian, seasonal and annual rhythms of the most diverse functional systems of the body [1]. Despite this, the amount of modern literature in Russian, devoted not to some particular issues, but to the pineal gland and its pathology as a whole, is very limited.
3
López-Figueroa, Manuel O., Jean-Paul Ravault, Bruno Cozzi, and Morten M⊘ller. "Innervation of the Sheep Pineal Gland by Nonsympathetic Nerve Fibers Containing NADPH-diaphorase Activity." Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry 45, no. 8 (August 1997): 1121–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002215549704500809.
Abstract:
We used the NADPH-diaphorase histochemical method as a potential marker for nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-containing nerve fibers innervating the pineal gland of the sheep. Nerve fibers containing NADPH-diaphorase activity provide dense innervation of the sheep pineal gland. The nerve fibers were located in the pineal capsule, in the connective tissue septae separating the lobuli of the gland, and penetrating between the pinealo-cytes. The nerve fibers were either smooth or endowed with boutons en passant. After bilateral removal of the superior cervical ganglion, the dense network of NADPH-diaphorase-positive fibers was still present in the gland. Ganglionectomy affected neither the distribution nor the appearance of the NADPH-diaphorase-positive fibers. Most of the NADPH-diaphorase-positive fibers also contained peptide histidine isoleucine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and a comparatively smaller fraction contained neuropeptide Y. Pinealocytes never exhibited NADPH-diaphorase activity. These results demonstrate a major neural input to the sheep pineal gland with NADPH-diaphorase-positive nerve fibers of nonsympathetic origin. (J Histochem Cytochem 45:1121–1128, 1997)
4
Abd alsamad, M. A., A. E. Hadi, Y. J. Mohammed, and M. A. Hasan. "ULTRASTRUCTURE OF PINEAL GLAND TUMOR IN WHITE RAT." IRAQI JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES 52, no. 3 (June 19, 2021): 575–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.36103/ijas.v52i3.1344.
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Tumors of pineal gland are very rare brain lesion in the rats and other species like humans. Neoplasms of pineal gland should be included in the possible differential diagnosis list for brain tumor, This type happened when the tumor is sited in the pineal body region. Research scientific investigation of pineal glands of rats being of important from the scientific point view, Transmission electron microscopic study of old and young rats was done to study the pineal gland associated with aging, these changes characterized by presence of fat like droplet in cytoplasm. Furthermore in the terminal end pinealocytes which were synapsis like associated with the presence of core vesicles containing neurotransmitter like in consistency.
5
Demajo, M., Olga Jozanov-Stankov, and Ivana Djujic. "Content of microelements in the rat pineal gland at different ages and the effects of selenium supplementation." Archives of Biological Sciences 58, no. 2 (2006): 69–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/abs0602069d.
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The mammalian pineal gland regulates a number of important physiological processes. In this paper we report changes in the content of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se) in the male rat pineal glands at 4, 5, 8, and 12 months of age. The effect of Se supplementation in drinking water on the content of pineal gland microelements was also studied. Selenium (Se)-dependent changes in pineal gland reported in this study suggest novel physicochemical and biochemical properties of Se, an important element essential in the antioxidative processes, yet known to influence a number of endocrine processes.
6
Skwarlo-Sonta, Krystyna, Pawel Majewski, Magdalena Markowska, Ruslan Oblap, and Bozenna Olszanska. "Bidirectional communication between the pineal gland and the immune system." Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 81, no. 4 (April 1, 2003): 342–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/y03-026.
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The pineal gland is a vertebrate neuroendocrine organ converting environmental photoperiodic information into a biochemical message (melatonin) that subsequently regulates the activity of numerous target tissues after its release into the bloodstream. A phylogenetically conserved feature is increased melatonin synthesis during darkness, even though there are differences between mammals and birds in the regulation of rhythmic pinealocyte function. Membrane-bound melatonin receptors are found in many peripheral organs, including lymphoid glands and immune cells, from which melatonin receptor genes have been characterized and cloned. The expression of melatonin receptor genes within the immune system shows species and organ specificity. The pineal gland, via the rhythmical synthesis and release of melatonin, influences the development and function of the immune system, although the postreceptor signal transduction system is poorly understood. Circulating messages produced by activated immune cells are recipro cally perceived by the pineal gland and provide feedback for the regulation of pineal function. The pineal gland and the immune system are, therefore, reciprocally linked by bidirectional communication.Key words: pineal gland, melatonin, immunity, melatonin receptors, melatonin receptor transcripts.
7
Rubio, A., C. Osuna, M. A. Lopez-Gonzalez, R. J. Reiter, and J. M. Guerrero. "Nyctohemeral rhythmicity of type II thyroxine 5′-deiodinase activity in the pineal gland but not in the Harderian gland of the Swiss mouse." Bioscience Reports 11, no. 2 (April 1, 1991): 111–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf01119198.
Abstract:
Type II thyroxine 5′-deiodinase (5′-D) activity in both pineal and Harderian glands of the Swiss mouse was studied. Pineal 5′-D activity exhibited a nyctohemeral profile with a maximal peak value at 05.00 h, which coincides with that for pineal melatonin production. However, no rhythm of 5′-D activity in the Harderian gland could be found. In pineal gland, light at night inhibited the nocturnal increase in 5′-D activity, while isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist, could not stimulate the enzyme. In the Harderian gland, neither darkness, nor light at night, or isoproterenol were capable of modifying basal values of 5′-D activity.
8
Ashton, Anna, Jason Clark, Julia Fedo, Angelo Sementilli, Yara D. Fragoso, and Peter McCaffery. "Retinoic Acid Signalling in the Pineal Gland Is Conserved across Mammalian Species and Its Transcriptional Activity Is Inhibited by Melatonin." Cells 12, no. 2 (January 11, 2023): 286. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells12020286.
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The pineal gland is integral to the circadian timing system due to its role in nightly melatonin production. Retinoic acid (RA) is a potent regulator of gene transcription and has previously been found to exhibit diurnal changes in synthesis and signalling in the rat pineal gland. This study investigated the potential for the interaction of these two systems. PCR was used to study gene expression in mouse and human pineal glands, ex-vivo organotypic cultured rat pineal gland and cell lines. The mouse and human pineal glands were both found to express the necessary components required for RA signalling. RA influences the circadian clock in the brain, therefore the short-term effect of RA on clock gene expression was determined in ex vivo rat pineal glands but was not found to rapidly regulate Per1, Per2, Bmal1, or Cry1. The interaction between RA and melatonin was also investigated and, unexpectedly, melatonin was found to suppress the induction of gene transcription by RA. This study demonstrates that pineal expression of the RA signalling system is conserved across mammalian species. There is no short-term regulation of the circadian clock but an inhibitory effect of melatonin on RA transcriptional activity was demonstrated, suggesting that there may be functional cross-talk between these systems.
9
Barcelos, R., A. Filadelpho, S. Baroni, and W. Graça. "The morphology of the pineal gland of the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus Forster, 1781)." Journal of Morphological Sciences 32, no. 03 (July 2015): 149–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.4322/jms.081814.
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Abstract Introduction: The Magellanic Penguin migrates on the ocean currents from its reproduction colonies in Patagonia to seek abundant food on the Brazilian continental shelf. The pineal gland, an endocrine gland, whose secretions are affected by the light-darkness photoperiod, has a basic function in the biological processes of migrating animals. Melatonin, the hormone synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland affects the circadian, circannual and seasonal cycle that directly affects the migration processes of land and sea birds. Materials and Methods: Specimens were collected on the southern coast of Brazil, morphometric assessments and histological analyses of the glands were undertaken. Results: The pineal gland of the Magellanic Penguin lies in a triangular space between the brain hemispheres and the cerebellum and close to the cavernous sinus that follow the region's dura mater. The average of the pineal gland of the penguins under analysis was 11.16mm and 1,69mm for length and thickness respectively. Test t and the coefficients of co-relationship (r) between the analyzed variables demonstrated that there was no co-relationship between the morphometric variables and the size of the pineal gland (p < 0.05). The Magellanic penguin's pineal gland has a club-like sacular shape with cells in threads, involved and interlaced by fibrous conjunctive tissues. Conclusion: Results corroborated data in the literature and showed that the pineal gland of these birds is relatively greater than that of other birds and its tissue composition is similar to that of other vertebrates.
10
Paquette, Heidi. "The Pineal Gland." Neonatal Network 19, no. 3 (April 2000): 9–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/0730-0832.19.3.9.
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The pineal gland is located posterior to the midbrain and is the site of melatonin production. Research on pineal gland function in neonates is very limited. This article will discuss pineal gland development and the possible relationship between melatonin production and sudden infant death syndrome. Further research on pineal gland function is needed in order to establish its significance for the neonate.
11
Afroz, Halima, Shamim Ara, Mushfika Rahman, Nurun Nahar, Anjuman Ara, and Kanij Fatema. "Length, Breadth and Thickness of the Pineal Gland." Bangladesh Journal of Anatomy 10, no. 2 (December 7, 2013): 63–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bja.v10i2.17286.
Abstract:
Context: The pineal gland is capable of influencing or modifying the activity of the pituitary gland, islets of Langerhans, the parathyroid gland, adrenal gland and the gonads. The pineal gland through its hormone, melatonin influences many functions of the human, like circadian rhythm, mood, psychiatric disorder, sexual maturation, reproduction and aging. Melatonin, a potent antioxidant provides protection against damaging free radicals of oxygen. Various clinical problems occur due to abnormal melatonin secretion by the pineal gland. For the perfect and complete evaluation of various clinical conditions of the pineal gland, detailed morphological knowledge is essential. Study Design: Cross sectional analytical type of study. Place and period of study: Department of Anatomy, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka from July 2009 to June 2010. Materials: 60 postmortem human pineal glands were collected from unclaimed dead bodies that were under examination in the morgue of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Dhaka Medical College Dhaka. Methods: The samples were divided into four different age groups i.e. Group-A (15-30 years), Group-B (31- 40 years), Group-C (41-50 years) and Group-D (> 50 years). Results: The mean±SD length of the pineal gland were found 8.11±0.83 mm in group A, 7.96±1.06 mm in group B, 7.51±0.55 mm in group C and 7.89±0.14 mm in group D. The mean±SD breadth of the pineal gland were found 4.39±0.34 mm in group A, 4.09±0.46 mm in group B, 4.12±0.58 mm in group C and 3.81±0.34 mm in group D. The mean±SD thickness of the pineal gland were found 2.52±0.64 mm in group A, 2.29±0.54 mm in group B, 2.14±0.32 mm in group C and 2.07±0.18 mm in group D. Conclusion: breadth and thickness of the pineal gland were found to be decreased with advancing age. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bja.v10i2.17286 Bangladesh Journal of Anatomy, July 2012, Vol. 10 No. 2 pp 63-67
12
Morton, D. J. "Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase catalyses production of methoxyindoles in rat pineal gland dependent on the concentration of hydroxy precursors and their affinity for the enzyme." Journal of Endocrinology 115, no. 3 (December 1987): 455–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1150455.
Abstract:
ABSTRACT Indole metabolites were separated by thin-layer chromatography following organ culture of rat pineal glands with tritiated tryptophan. Methoxyindole production was shown to differ substantially from results obtained when pineal glands were incubated with radiolabelled serotonin. The correlation between hydroxy- and corresponding methoxyindoles was, however, remarkably similar to previous results, and indicated that in the pineal gland, it is probable that production of methoxyindoles is dependent on the concentration of the various hydroxyindoles and their relative affinities for hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase. It is also probable that although several forms of the enzyme may exist in the pineal gland, the catalytic sites are homogeneous in their activity. J. Endocr. (1987) 115, 455–458
13
Karabaş, Çağlar, Samet Karahan, Havva Talay Çalış, and Ali Koç. "Comparison of Pineal Gland Volume Between Patients with Fibromyalgia and Healthy Controls Running Title: Pgv in Fibromyalgia." European Journal of Therapeutics 28, no. 4 (December 31, 2022): 301–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.58600/eurjther-28-4-0104.
Abstract:
Objectives: The pineal gland is an important neuroendocrine organ accounting for the melatonin secretion and chronobiology that regulate circadian rhythm. This study was designed to compare pineal gland volume (PGV) with healthy controls and patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM), in which sleep quality and efficiency is reduced. Patient and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, PGV and functional pineal gland volume (FPGV) of FM patients with age- and sex-matched healthy controls were compared. All MR imaging studies were performed using a 3 Tesla scanner with a multi-channel phased array head coil. The volume of pineal glands and pineal cysts were calculated from 3D MP RAGE images using the formula: volume= AP x transverse x craniocaudal diameter x 0.523. Results: There was no significant difference in PGV and FPGV between the FM group and healthy controls (p=0.374 and p=0.421, respectively). In the correlation analysis, age was negatively correlated with PGV and FPGV in the FM group (r=-0.496, p=0.010; r=- 0.477, p=0.014, respectively). No significant correlation was detected between age, PGV and FPGV in the control group (r= 0.022, p=0.916; r= -0.019, p=0.925, respectively). Conclusions: Based on the results, there was no significant difference between the FM group and healthy controls regarding PGV and FPGV. However, PGV and FPGV were decreased by advancing age in the FM group in which melatonin therapy is offered as an option. Keywords: Fibromyalgia syndrome, pineal gland volume, functional pineal gland volume, pineal gland magnetic resonance imaging
14
Peliciari-Garcia, Rodrigo Antonio, Jéssica Andrade-Silva, José Cipolla-Neto, and Carla Roberta de Oliveira Carvalho. "Leptin Modulates Norepinephrine-Mediated Melatonin Synthesis in Cultured Rat Pineal Gland." BioMed Research International 2013 (2013): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/546516.
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Pineal melatonin synthesis can be modulated by many peptides, including insulin. Because melatonin appears to alter leptin synthesis, in this work we aimed to investigate whether leptin would have a role on norepinephrine- (NE-)mediated melatonin synthesis in cultured rat pineal glands. According to our data, cultured rat pineal glands express leptin receptor isoform b (Ob-Rb). Pineal expression ofOb-RbmRNA was also observedin vivo. Administration of leptin (1 nM) associated with NE (1 µM) reduced melatonin content as well as arylalkylamine-N-acetyl transferase (AANAT) activity and expression in cultured pineal glands. Leptin treatment per se induced the expression of STAT3 in cultured pineal glands, but STAT3 does not participate in the leptin modulation of NE-mediated pineal melatonin synthesis. In addition, the expression of inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) was further induced by leptin challenge when associated with NE. In conclusion, leptin inhibition of pineal melatonin synthesis appears to be mediated by a reduction in AANAT activity and expression as well as by increased expression ofIcermRNA. Peptidergic signaling within the pineal gland appears to be one of the most important signals which modulates melatonin synthesis; leptin, as a member of this system, is not an exception.
15
Favero, Gaia, Francesca Bonomini, and Rita Rezzani. "Pineal Gland Tumors: A Review." Cancers 13, no. 7 (March 27, 2021): 1547. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers13071547.
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The pineal gland is a small, pinecone-shaped endocrine gland that participates in the biological rhythm regulation of vertebrates. The recognized major product of the pineal gland is melatonin—a multifunctional endogenous indoleamine. Accumulating evidence suggests that the pineal gland is important for preserving ideal health conditions in vertebrate. Tumors of the pineal region account for approximately 3–11% of pediatric brain neoplasms but fewer than 1% of brain neoplasms in adults. It is fundamental to expand advanced imaging techniques together with both clinical and laboratory knowledge, to help to differentiate among pineal neoplasms and thus facilitate accurate primary diagnoses and proper therapeutic interventions. In this review, we report the gross anatomy of the pineal gland and its functional significance and discuss the clinical relevance of pineal gland tumors, underlining the importance of identifying the leading causes of pineal region masses.
16
Acer, Niyazi, Ahmet Turan Ilıca, Ahmet Tuncay Turgut, Özlem Özçelik, Birdal Yıldırım, and Mehmet Turgut. "Comparison of Three Methods for the Estimation of Pineal Gland Volume Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging." Scientific World Journal 2012 (2012): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/123412.
Abstract:
Pineal gland is a very important neuroendocrine organ with many physiological functions such as regulating circadian rhythm. Radiologically, the pineal gland volume is clinically important because it is usually difficult to distinguish small pineal tumors via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although many studies have estimated the pineal gland volume using different techniques, to the best of our knowledge, there has so far been no stereological work done on this subject. The objective of the current paper was to determine the pineal gland volume using stereological methods and by the region of interest (ROI) on MRI. In this paper, the pineal gland volumes were calculated in a total of 62 subjects (36 females, 26 males) who were free of any pineal lesions or tumors. The mean ± SD pineal gland volumes of the point-counting, planimetry, and ROI groups were99.55±51.34,102.69±40.39, and104.33±40.45 mm3, respectively. No significant difference was found among the methods of calculating pineal gland volume (P>0.05). From these results, it can be concluded that each technique is an unbiased, efficient, and reliable method, ideally suitable for in vivo examination of MRI data for pineal gland volume estimation.
17
Rath, Martin F., Michael J. Bailey, Jong-So Kim, Anthony K. Ho, Pascaline Gaildrat, Steven L. Coon, Morten Møller, and David C. Klein. "Developmental and Diurnal Dynamics of Pax4 Expression in the Mammalian Pineal Gland: Nocturnal Down-Regulation Is Mediated by Adrenergic-Cyclic Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate Signaling." Endocrinology 150, no. 2 (February 1, 2009): 803–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/en.2008-0882.
Abstract:
Pax4 is a homeobox gene that is known to be involved in embryonic development of the endocrine pancreas. In this tissue, Pax4 counters the effects of the related protein, Pax6. Pax6 is essential for development of the pineal gland. In this study we report that Pax4 is strongly expressed in the pineal gland and retina of the rat. Pineal Pax4 transcripts are low in the fetus and increase postnatally; Pax6 exhibits an inverse pattern of expression, being more strongly expressed in the fetus. In the adult the abundance of Pax4 mRNA exhibits a diurnal rhythm in the pineal gland with maximal levels occurring late during the light period. Sympathetic denervation of the pineal gland by superior cervical ganglionectomy prevents the nocturnal decrease in pineal Pax4 mRNA. At night the pineal gland is adrenergically stimulated by release of norepinephrine from the sympathetic innervation; here, we found that treatment with adrenergic agonists suppresses pineal Pax4 expression in vivo and in vitro. This suppression appears to be mediated by cAMP, a second messenger of norepinephrine in the pineal gland, based on the observation that treatment with a cAMP mimic reduces pineal Pax4 mRNA levels. These findings suggest that the nocturnal decrease in pineal Pax4 mRNA is controlled by the sympathetic neural pathway that controls pineal function acting via an adrenergic-cAMP mechanism. The daily changes in Pax4 expression may influence gene expression in the pineal gland. The Pax4 homeobox gene is expressed in the postnatal pineal gland and exhibits a diurnal rhythm driven by adrenergic signaling, which suppresses nocturnal transcript levels.
18
Reiter, Russel J. "The Pineal Gland." Endocrinologist 3, no. 6 (November 1993): 425–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00019616-199311000-00011.
19
BRZEZINSKI, AMNON, and RICHARD J. WURTMAN. "The Pineal Gland." Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey 43, no. 4 (April 1988): 197–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00006254-198843040-00003.
20
BRZEZINSKI, AMNON, and RICHARD J. WURTMAN. "The Pineal Gland." Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey 43, no. 4 (April 1988): 197–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00006254-198804000-00003.
21
Parwani, Anil V., Blaire L. Baisden, Yener S. Erozan, Peter C. Burger, and Syed Z. Ali. "Pineal gland lesions." Cancer 105, no. 2 (January 20, 2005): 80–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.20849.
22
Peruri, Alekhya, Alexandra Morgan, Alida D’Souza, Bridget Mellon, Carey W. Hung, Gabriella Kayal, Haejung Shin, et al. "Pineal Gland from the Cell Culture to Animal Models: A Review." Life 12, no. 7 (July 15, 2022): 1057. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life12071057.
Abstract:
This review demonstrates current literature on pineal gland physiology, pathology, and animal model experiments to concisely explore future needs in research development with respect to pineal gland function and neuro-regenerative properties. The pineal gland plays an integral role in sleep and recovery by promoting physiologic circadian rhythms via production and release of melatonin. Yet, the current literature shows that the pineal gland has neuroprotective effects that modulate both peripheral and central nerve injuries through several direct and indirect mechanisms, such as angiogenesis and induction of growth factors and anti-inflammatory mediators. Animal models have also shown correlations between pineal gland function and metabolic homeostasis. Studies have shown that a functional pineal gland is essential in preventing and slowing the progression of certain diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, vertebral osteoarthritis, and neurodegenerative processes. Lastly, the array of cell culturing methods and animal models that can be used to further develop the study of pineal gland function and nervous system injury were reviewed.
23
Kalinina, Svetlana, Viktor Ilyukha, and Lyudmila Uzenbaeva. "Pineal Gland Morphology in Relation to Age and Season in Three Canidae Species." Journal of Morphological Sciences 36, no. 04 (December 2019): 247–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1698373.
Abstract:
Abstract Introduction The aim of the present study was to determine the morphological features of the pineal gland in three closely related Canidae species (raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray, 1834; silver fox, Vulpes vulpes L., 1758; and blue fox, Vulpes lagopus L., 1758) of different ages during the breeding (spring) and nonbreeding (winter) periods. Materials and Methods Histological analysis of the pineal glands of canids was performed. Results The morphological changes in the pineal gland detected in the current study are either age-associated, including increase in the reticular fibers and vascularization in the studied species, as well as increase in the amount of the protruding septae in the blue fox, or seasonally related, including an increase in the number and size of blood vessels. The present work reported two types of pigments: lipofuscin (primarily in the silver fox) and melanin (primarily in the raccoon dog and in the blue fox). The pineal gland in the blue fox is characterized by the ability to form corpora arenacea. Conclusions The present study provides the first insight into the morphological changes of the pineal gland in three closely related Canidae species of different ages during the breeding (spring) and nonbreeding (winter) periods, and showed some species-specific features of gland morphology. The aspects concerning the biogenesis of the calcium concretions and the factors influencing the accumulation of pigments need further investigation.
24
Козлов, В. А., С. П. Сапожников, П. Б. Карышев, and Л. Н. Воронов. "Local amyloidosis of the pineal gland." Zhurnal «Patologicheskaia fiziologiia i eksperimental`naia terapiia», no. 1 (March 31, 2022): 104–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.25557/0031-2991.2022.01.104-111.
Abstract:
Введение. Шишковидная железа (эпифиз), кровоснабжение которой осуществляется от ветвей а. chorioidea posterior, а отток крови происходит в большую мозговую вену или её приток, может подвергаться локальному амилоидному поражению без вовлечения в процесс больших полушарий, то есть, представлять собой самостоятельный процесс не связанный с болезнью Альцгеймера. Цель исследования - выявление частоты встречаемости локального амилоидоза эпифиза у взрослых людей и изучение его возможной связи с кальцинозом железы. Методика. Проведено патогистологическое исследование шишковидных желез 92 суицидентов и 69 лиц, погибших в результате насильственных действий или различных несчастных случаев (группа сравнения). Всего 37 женщин и 124 мужчины. Средний возраст суицидиентов мужчин - 41,0±13,0, женщин - 57,0±15,0, лиц группы сравнения - 41,0±13,0 и 54,0±13,0 соответственно. Для выявления амилоида и кальцинатов использовали окраску гистопрепаратов конго красным, а также тиофлавином Т. Тяжесть амилоидного поражения и количество кальцинатов в шишковидной железе оценивали в условных баллах. Результаты. При окрашивании образцов конго красным вне зависимости от возраста и причины смерти в 48,5% случаев было выявлено различной тяжести амилоидное поражение шишковидной железы и наличие кальцинатов. Частота встречаемости, тяжесть амилоидного поражения железы и количество кальцинатов не зависели от возраста, пола и причин смерти (анализ различий частот проведен по тесту Колмогорова-Смирнова с поправкой Лиллиефорса). В образцах от суицидентов выявлено зависимое от тяжести амилоидного процесса статистически значимое увеличение массы шишковидной железы по сравнению с массой желез умерших в результате насильственной смерти и несчастных случаев. При отсутствии признаков амилоидного поражения различий в массе эпифизов «суицидентов» и «несуицидентов» не обнаружено. Причиной локального амилоидоза шишковидной железы, возможно является прижизненный гематогенный занос бактерий, который в том числе приводит к образованию кальцинатов. Заключение. Примерно у 50% популяции был выявлен бессимптомный локальный амилоидоз эпифиза; наличие амилоидоза не являлось причиной суицида; в материале от «суицидентов» выявлена зависимость влажной массы железы от тяжести амилоидного поражения Introduction. The pineal gland is supplied with blood by branches of the posterior choroidal artery, and the blood drains into the great cerebral vein or its tributaries. This gland may undergo local amyloid damage without involving the large hemispheres. Thus, this damage is an independent process not related to Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of local amyloidosis in pineal glands of adults and to study a possible connection of amyloidosis with calcification of the gland. Methods. This pathohistological study was performed in 92 suicides and 69 victims of murders and accidents (the comparison group), a total of 37 women and 124 men. The mean age of male and female suicides was 41.0±13.0 and 57.0±15.0 yrs, respectively, and the mean age of men and women in the comparison group was 41.0±13.0 and 54.0±13.0 yrs, respectively. Amyloid lesion and calcinates were detected with Congo red and thioflavin T staining. Severity of the amyloid lesion and the number of calcinates in the pineal gland were scored conventionally. Differences in findings were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test with Lilliefors significance correction. Results. Congo red staining revealed pineal amyloid lesions of varying severity and the presence of calcinates in 48.5% of cases, regardless of the age, gender or the cause of death. The incidence and severity of amyloid lesions and the number of calcinates in the pineal gland did not depend on the age, gender or the cause of death. However, in suicides, the pineal gland weight was significantly increased (154.0±89.0 mg (D 64.0÷298.0, p=0.0143) compared to the weight of pineal glands from victims of accidents and murders (104.0±34.0 mg (D 51.0÷198.0)). This increase depended on the severity of the amyloid process. In the absence of amyloid lesions, there were no differences in pineal gland weights between suicides and non-suicides. Local amyloidosis of the pineal gland is possibly caused by hematogenic flux of bacteria, which also leads to the formation of calcinates. Conclusions. Approximately 50% of the population had asymptomatic, local amyloidosis of the pineal gland. The presence of amyloidosis was not the cause of suicide. In suicides, the wet weight of the pineal gland depended on the severity of amyloid lesion.
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Barron, Jane, Carolyn Morris-Larkin, Terry Finch, Falah Maroun, Nanette Hache, and George M. Yousef. "Long Survival of Primary Pineal Melanoma with Radiation Treatment Only." Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques 34, no. 2 (May 2007): 251–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0317167100006156.
Abstract:
Pineal gland tumors in adults account for about 0.4 to 1 % of all intracranial tumors. A wide variety of tumors can occur in the pineal gland. The most common are the pineal parenchymal tumors (pineocytomas, pineoblastomas, and pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation), germ cell tumors, and glial tumors. Uncommonly in the pineal gland one may encounter a metastatic tumor, a meningioma or a melanoma.We here report a case of primary pineal gland melanoma with prolonged survival of 56 weeks after radiotherapy alone. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of prolonged survival after radiotherapy alone, without surgical intervention or chemotherapy. Contrary to previous reports, our case demonstrates that a pineal melanoma with leptomeningeal dissemination can still yield a better survival with radiation treatment only.
26
Anisimov, V. N. "J. Arendt. Melatonin and the Mammalian Pineal Gland. — London: Chapman & Hall, 1995. — 331 p." Problems of Endocrinology 42, no. 6 (December 15, 1996): 40–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.14341/probl12060.
Abstract:
Despite the rapid progress of endocrinology in the last quarter of the 20th century, it should be noted that no other gland of internal secretion, to the extent that the pineal gland, is honored to be "titular" in the scientific community or scientific journal. Indeed, the European Society for the Study of the Pituitary Gland has been actively working for many years, the Melatonin Club was founded, the Journal of Pineal Research, Advances in Pineal Research, and the European Pineal Society News are published, and international conferences and symposiums are held annually in the last decade. dedicated to the pineal gland and melatonin. The rapid development of chronobiology led to the establishment of the leading role of the pineal gland and its main hormone melatonin in the implementation of the circadian, seasonal and annual rhythms of many functional systems of the body. The monograph under review, written by the famous English researcher of the pineal gland, Josephine Arendt, is a unique publication in which one author has systematized and critically analyzed the vast amount of factual material accumulated to date on the physiological effects and mechanisms of action of melatonin. The book consists of 9 chapters, unequal both in volume and in terms of circle and the importance of the issues addressed in them. The very brief chapter 1 summarizes the history of the study of the pineal gland and the discovery of melatonin and its functions in the body. Unfortunately, there was no place in it to mention such important events as the first description of the morphological picture of the hypofunction of the pineal gland (B.P. Kucherenko, 1941), the pioneering study of A.M. Khelimsky, who in 1953 first came to conclusion about age-related involution of the pineal gland.
27
Cheung, Richard, and John H. Youson. "Immunohistochemical localization of somatostatin within the pineal gland of metamorphosing lampreys, Petromyzon marinus L." Canadian Journal of Zoology 69, no. 5 (May 1, 1991): 1416–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z91-202.
Abstract:
The distribution and onset of immunoreactivity to anti-somatostatin-14 and anti-somatostatin-34 within the pineal gland of metamorphosing lampreys, Petromyzon marinus, were examined by immunohistochemistry. No staining was observed with anti-somatostatin-34. Somatostatin-14 immunoreactive cells were not found in the larval pineal complex but were present within the pineal pellucida of the pineal gland beginning at stage 5 of transformation and through the final two stages (6 and 7) of metamorphosis. No immunoreactivity was seen in the parapineal gland. The time of onset of this immunoreactivity in the pineal gland may denote an important transition period from larval to adult life.
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Lewczuk, Bogdan, Magdalena Prusik, Natalia Ziółkowska, Michał Dąbrowski, Kamila Martniuk, Maria Hanuszewska, and Łukasz Zielonka. "Effects of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes on the Pineal Gland in the Domestic Pig." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 19, no. 10 (October 9, 2018): 3077. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms19103077.
Abstract:
Several observations from experiments in rodents and human patients suggest that diabetes affects pineal gland function, including melatonin secretion; however, the accumulated data are not consistent. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on the pineal gland in the domestic pig, a species widely used as a model in various biomedical studies. The study was performed on 10 juvenile pigs, which were divided into two groups: control and diabetic. Diabetes was evoked by administration of streptozotocin (150 mg/kg of body weight). After six weeks, the animals were euthanized between 12.00 and 14.00, and the pineal glands were removed and divided into two equal parts, which were used for biochemical analyses and for preparation of explants for the superfusion culture. The pineal contents (per 100 μg protein) of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, 5-hydroxytryptophol, 5-methoxyindole acetic acid, 5-methoxytryptophol, and 5-methoxytryptamine were significantly lower in diabetic pigs than in control pigs. In contrast, the level of N-acetylserotonin was significantly higher in diabetic animals. No significant differences were found in the level of melatonin between control and experimental pigs. The amounts of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were significantly lower in the pineal glands of diabetic animals. The level of vanillylmandelic acid was higher in diabetic pigs. No differences were observed in the level of basal and NE-stimulated release of N-acetylserotonin or melatonin between the pineal explants prepared from control and experimental animals. In vitro treatment with insulin was ineffective. In conclusion, streptozotocin-induced diabetes affects both indole metabolism and adrenergic neurotransmission in the pig pineal gland.
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Petros, Beyene. "Neuro Endocrine Physiology: Pineal Gland Development." Endocrinology and Disorders 2, no. 3 (April 5, 2018): 01–02. http://dx.doi.org/10.31579/2640-1045/023.
30
Rohde, Kristian, Morten Møller, and Martin Fredensborg Rath. "Homeobox Genes and Melatonin Synthesis: Regulatory Roles of the Cone-Rod Homeobox Transcription Factor in the Rodent Pineal Gland." BioMed Research International 2014 (2014): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/946075.
Abstract:
Nocturnal synthesis of melatonin in the pineal gland is controlled by a circadian rhythm in arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) enzyme activity. In the rodent,Aanatgene expression displays a marked circadian rhythm; release of norepinephrine in the gland at night causes a cAMP-based induction ofAanattranscription. However, additional transcriptional control mechanisms exist. Homeobox genes, which are generally known to encode transcription factors controlling developmental processes, are also expressed in the mature rodent pineal gland. Among these, the cone-rod homeobox (CRX) transcription factor is believed to control pineal-specificAanatexpression. Based on recent advances in our understanding ofCrxin the rodent pineal gland, we here suggest that homeobox genes play a role in adult pineal physiology both by ensuring pineal-specificAanatexpression and by facilitating cAMP response element-based circadian melatonin production.
31
Klimenko, T., and G. Kuzienkova. "CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF PINEAL GLAND FUNCTION IN INFANTS WITH EXTREMELY LOW BODY WEIGHT." Neonatology, surgery and perinatal medicine 12, no. 2(44) (August 8, 2022): 29–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.24061/2413-4260.xii.2.44.2022.5.
Abstract:
Introduction. The functional activity of the pineal gland plays a dramatic important role in the adaptation topostnatal life and in the pathogenesis of the most common perinatal pathology of premature infants.The aim of the study. To determine the morphofunctional features of the pineal gland in premature infants withextremely low body weight.Material and methods. In 46 preterm infants with extremely low birth weight, the level of melatonin metabolite inurine 6-sulfoxymelatonin was determined at first day of life. The 20 dead infants underwent macro- and microscopicexamination of the pineal gland using the immunohistochemical method.Results. All preterm infants with extremely low birth weight had perinatal pathology, which led to death in 20 ofthem. Urinary excretion of the metabolite melatonin 6-sulfoximelatonin in preterm infants with extremely low birthweight in the first day of life, which had fatal consequences, significantly reduced compared with surviving children,indicating depletion of functional activity of the pineal gland and may be as a marker of adverse course of the neonatalperiod. Morphologically, in the pineal gland of premature infants with extremely low body weight there is an increasein morphofunctional activity of pineal cells. This is confirmed by morphometric data and increased expression ofMelanA and S100 in immunohistochemical studies. Macro- and microscopic data suggest that extrauterine existencein distress conditions accelerates the differentiation of the pineal gland (depletion) and indicates the presenceof damage to glandular tissue, which in turn reduces the synthesis of melatonin and its mediated metabolite 6 –sulfoxymelatonin in urine.Conclusions. Decreased urinary excretion of 6-sulfoximelatonin in preterm infants with extremely low birthweight in the first day of life and mophological changes in the pineal gland of deceased children indicate depletionof functional activity of the pineal gland in conditions of perinatal pathology
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Chlubek, Dariusz, and Maciej Sikora. "Fluoride and Pineal Gland." Applied Sciences 10, no. 8 (April 22, 2020): 2885. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app10082885.
Abstract:
The pineal gland is an endocrine gland whose main function is the biosynthesis and secretion of melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating circadian rhythms, e.g., the sleep/wake cycle. Due to its exceptionally high vascularization and its location outside the blood–brain barrier, the pineal gland may accumulate significant amounts of calcium and fluoride, making it the most fluoride-saturated organ of the human body. Both the calcification and accumulation of fluoride may result in melatonin deficiency.
33
Skene, D. J., I. Smith, and J. Arendt. "Radioimmunoassay of pineal 5-methoxytryptophol in different species: comparison with pineal melatonin content." Journal of Endocrinology 110, no. 1 (July 1986): 177–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1100177.
Abstract:
ABSTRACT A sensitive, specific, reproducible and practical radioimmunoassay for the determination of 5-methoxytryptophol (ML) in pineal glands of different species has been developed. High-affinity specific antisera were produced by immunization of sheep with ML–bovine serum albumin. Iodinated ML, used as the radiolabel, was synthesized by direct iodination of ML using 1,3,4,6,-tetrachloro-3,6-diphenylglycouril as the oxidant. Sensitivity of the assay was 0·005 pmol/tube. The validity of the assay was checked using classical techniques. Cross-reactivity with other indoles was negligible. Parallel inhibition curves were obtained for rat, hamster, sheep and tortoise pineal homogenates. Using thin-layer chromatography, tortoise pineal immunoreactivity also co-chromatographed with standard ML. Samples (n = 5) with ML concentrations of 0·013, 0·052 and 0·209 pmol/tube had intra-assay coefficients of variation of 9·8, 5·7 and 7·6% respectively. Their respective interassay coefficients of variation were 17·7 16·5 and 11·4% (n = 8). The pineal concentration of ML was found to be species dependent. Afternoon ML levels were 0·052± 0·002 (s.e.m.) pmol/gland in the rat (n = 16), 0·539 ±0·089 pmol/gland in the hamster (n = 16), 1·73±0·225 nmol/g in the sheep (n = 10) and 7·15± 0·465 pmol/gland in the tortoise (n = 4). The ratio of ML:melatonin content in the pineal gland also showed a large interspecies variation with values of 0·02 in the rat, 0·22 in the sheep, 2·7 in the hamster and 17 in the tortoise. J. Endocr. (1986) 110, 177–184
34
SHAPIRO, LISA. "Descartes's Pineal Gland Reconsidered1." Midwest Studies In Philosophy 35, no. 1 (December 2011): 259–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4975.2011.00219.x.
35
Schiller, Francis. "Pineal gland, perennial puzzle." Journal of the History of the Neurosciences 4, no. 3-4 (September 1995): 155–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09647049509525636.
36
Farah, Martha J. "The distributed pineal gland." Behavioral and Brain Sciences 15, no. 2 (June 1992): 209. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x00068308.
37
Csernus, Valér J. "The Avian Pineal Gland." Chronobiology International 23, no. 1-2 (January 2006): 329–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07420520500482108.
38
Paolo Trentini, Gian, C. De Gaetani, and M. Criscuolo. "Pineal gland and aging." Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 3, no. 2 (June 1991): 103–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf03323987.
39
Shilova, Anastasia V., Natalia I. Ananyeva, Natalia Yu Safonova, and Larisa V. Lukina. "Pineal gland: structural variants and their role in neurological and psychiatric disorders." Annals of Clinical and Experimental Neurology 16, no. 1 (January 15, 2022): 39–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.54101/acen.2022.1.5.
Abstract:
The pineal gland is a small and poorly studied neuroendocrine gland located in the epithalamus. There is growing interest in the pineal gland due to its role in regulating human biological rhythms, which is associated with melatonin production, and its close neuroendocrine link between the brain's hormonal and neurally mediated activity. The paper examines the anatomical and physiological features of the pineal gland, its structural variations, and the role of the melatonin it produces in the pathogenesis of several mental and neurological disorders.
40
Moravcová, Simona, Eva Filipovská, Veronika Spišská, Irena Svobodová, Jiří Novotný, and Zdeňka Bendová. "The Circadian Rhythms of STAT3 in the Rat Pineal Gland and Its Involvement in Arylalkylamine-N-Acetyltransferase Regulation." Life 11, no. 10 (October 18, 2021): 1105. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life11101105.
Abstract:
In rodents, the melatonin production by the pineal gland is controlled through adrenergic signaling from the suprachiasmatic nuclei and regulation of the principal enzyme in its synthesis, arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase (AANAT). In the present study, we identified increased isoprenaline-induced aa-nat expression and nocturnal AANAT activity in the pineal glands in response to the silencing of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) with siRNA or STAT3 inhibitors WP1066 and AZD1480. This AANAT activity enhancement in vivo did not interfere with light-induced AANAT suppression. Systemic or in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration markedly increased Stat3 expression and STAT3 phosphorylation, but it did not significantly affect AANAT expression or activity. Simultaneous LPS administration and Stat3 silencing enhanced the aa-nat transcription and AANAT activity to a similar extent as Stat3 inhibition without LPS co-administration. Furthermore, we describe the circadian rhythmicity in Stat3 expression and the phosphorylated form of STAT3 protein in the rat pineal gland. Our data suggest that the higher nocturnal endogenous level of STAT3 in the pineal gland decelerates or hampers the process of NA-induced AANAT activation or affects the AANAT enzyme stability.
41
Gheban, Bogdan-Alexandru, Horațiu Alexandru Colosi, Ioana-Andreea Gheban-Rosca, Bogdan Pop, Ana-Maria Teodora Domșa, Carmen Georgiu, Dan Gheban, Doinița Crișan, and Maria Crișan. "Age-Related Changes of the Pineal Gland in Humans: A Digital Anatomo-Histological Morphometric Study on Autopsy Cases with Comparison to Predigital-Era Studies." Medicina 57, no. 4 (April 15, 2021): 383. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/medicina57040383.
Abstract:
Background and objectives: The pineal gland is a photoneuroendocrine organ in the midline of the brain, responsible primarily for melatonin synthesis. It is composed mainly of pinealocytes and glial tissue. This study examined human postmortem pineal glands to microscopically assess age-related changes using digital techniques, and offers a perspective on evolutionary tendencies compared to the past. Materials and Methods: A retrospective autopsy study has been performed on 72 pediatric and adult autopsy cases. The glands have been processed for histological analysis and immunohistochemical staining with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Slides were assessed under polarized light and digitally scanned. Morphometric data were obtained using CaseViewer and ImageJ. Results: Thirty-three females and 39 males were included in the study, grouped under three age groups: 0–25, 46–65, and 66–96 years of age. The peak gland volume was found within the 46–65 age group, the overall mean volume was 519 mm3, the main architectural types were lobular and insular, and the mean percentage of pineal calcification was 15% of the gland, peaking within the 66–96 age group, with a predominantly globular shape. Glial cysts were found in 20.8% of cases. The intensity of GFAP stain was maximal in the pediatric age group, but the extent of glial tissue was much larger in elderly patients. Discussion: The degenerative process of the pineal gland can be quantified by measuring normal parenchyma, calcifications, glial tissue, and glial cysts. Morphometric differences have been observed and compared to a similar studies performed in the published literature. The current study, unfortunately, lacks a 26–45 age group. Digital techniques seemed to offer a more exact analysis, but returned similar results to studies performed over 40 years ago, therefore offering important information on evolutionary tendencies. Conclusions: Increase in glial tissue, calcifications, and glial cysts have a defining role as age-related changes in the pineal gland.
42
Finocchiaro, Liliana M. E., Angelika Scheucher, Azucena L. Alvarez, Samuel Finkielman, Victor E. Nahmod, and Carlos J. Pirola. "Pineal Hyperactivity in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Muscarinic Regulation of Indole Metabolism." Clinical Science 79, no. 5 (November 1, 1990): 437–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1042/cs0790437.
Abstract:
1. Choline acetyltransferase activity and [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate-binding sites were detected in the pineal gland of normotensive Wistar—Kyoto rats and of spontaneously hypertensive rats. 2. In vitro, muscarinic activation by pilocarpine increased the pineal metabolic production of hydroxyindole derivatives up to 5-hydroxytryptamine and produced a less marked stimulation of melatonin biosynthesis. 3. Electrical field stimulation of pineal gland slices caused similar metabolic effects. 4. Muscarinic blockade with atropine inhibited the effects on hydroxyindole metabolism. 5. [3H]Quinuclidinyl benzylate-binding sites, indicative of muscarinic receptors, were more numerous, and basal 5-hydroxytryptamine and melatonin levels were higher, in the pineal gland of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with Wistar—Kyoto rats. 6. The atropine-sensitive metabolic effects of pilocarpine and electrical field stimulation on the pineal gland were increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats.
43
ZHANG, Hongjian, Mohammed AKBAR, and Hee-Yong KIM. "Melatonin: an endogenous negative modulator of 12-lipoxygenation in the rat pineal gland." Biochemical Journal 344, no. 2 (November 24, 1999): 487–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1042/bj3440487.
Abstract:
Major biochemical activities of the pineal gland include melatonin biosynthesis and 12-lipoxygenation. In this paper, we provide evidence in vivo that melatonin regulates 12-lipoxygenation via 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) expression. The relationship between these two biochemical activities was established by monitoring levels of endogenous melatonin and a 12-LOX metabolite, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), in the rat pineal gland both during the light-dark cycle and after isoproterenol injection using GC/MS with negative ion chemical ionization. As pineal melatonin production reflected a typical diurnal variation, 12-HETE levels showed an off-phase diurnal pattern in relation to melatonin levels. Intravenous administration of isoproterenol, which has been shown to elevate melatonin production, decreased the 12-HETE level significantly. The reduction of 12-HETE levels during the dark phase and after isoproterenol injection was accompanied by decreases in 12-LOX mRNA and protein levels. Direct administration of melatonin to rats by intravenous injection decreased pineal 12-LOX protein levels significantly, indicating that melatonin plays a role in down-regulating 12-LOX expression. When pineal glands were incubated with exogenous melatonin in culture, time-dependent reduction of 12-LOX protein levels was observed. The melatonin-induced reduction in 12-LOX protein was abolished in the presence of the melatonin receptor antagonist luzindole, establishing further the role of melatonin in this process. Incubation of pineal homogenates with exogenous melatonin partially inhibited 12-LOX activity. Taken together, an inverse relationship exists in the endogenous production of 12-HETE, 12-LOX mRNA and protein with respect to melatonin production in the rat pineal gland. Melatonin decreased both 12-LOX mRNA and protein levels in addition to 12-LOX enzyme activity, indicating that melatonin is an endogenous modulator of pineal 12-lipoxygenation.
44
Gupta, Akshya, Mahlon Johnson, and Ali Hussain. "Pineal Gland Lymphoma: Case Report and Literature Review." Journal of Clinical Imaging Science 5 (September 30, 2015): 51. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/2156-7514.166350.
Abstract:
A 65-year-old male presented to our institution with acute-onset headache. Imaging studies demonstrated a mass in the region of the pineal gland, with subsequent histopathology findings being consistent with large B cell lymphoma. The patient was treated with methotrexate, but ultimately did not survive. Primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma rarely involves the pineal gland, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pineal gland tumors in the appropriate clinical setting.
45
Rohde, Kristian, Louise Rovsing, Anthony K. Ho, Morten Møller, and Martin F. Rath. "Circadian Dynamics of the Cone-Rod Homeobox (CRX) Transcription Factor in the Rat Pineal Gland and Its Role in Regulation of Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase (AANAT)." Endocrinology 155, no. 8 (August 1, 2014): 2966–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/en.2014-1232.
Abstract:
The cone-rod homeobox (Crx) gene encodes a transcription factor in the retina and pineal gland. Crx deficiency influences the pineal transcriptome, including a reduced expression of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (Aanat), a key enzyme in nocturnal pineal melatonin production. However, previous functional studies on pineal Crx have been performed in melatonin-deficient mice. In this study, we have investigated the role of Crx in the melatonin-proficient rat pineal gland. The current study shows that pineal Crx transcript levels exhibit a circadian rhythm with a peak in the middle of the night, which is transferred into daily changes in CRX protein. The study further shows that the sympathetic innervation of the pineal gland controls the Crx rhythm. By use of adenovirus-mediated short hairpin RNA gene knockdown targeting Crx mRNA in primary rat pinealocyte cell culture, we here show that intact levels of Crx mRNA are required to obtain high levels of Aanat expression, whereas overexpression of Crx induces Aanat transcription in vitro. This regulatory function of Crx is further supported by circadian analysis of Aanat in the pineal gland of the Crx-knockout mouse. Our data indicate that the rhythmic nature of pineal CRX protein may directly modulate the daily profile of Aanat expression by inducing nighttime expression of this enzyme, thus facilitating nocturnal melatonin synthesis in addition to its role in ensuring a correct tissue distribution of Aanat expression.
46
Skene, D. J., P. Pevet, B. Vivien-Roels, M. Masson-Pevet, and J. Arendt. "Effect of different photoperiods on concentrations of 5-methoxytryptophol and melatonin in the pineal gland of the Syrian hamster." Journal of Endocrinology 114, no. 2 (August 1987): 301–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1140301.
Abstract:
ABSTRACT Specific, sensitive and direct radioimmunoassays have been used to determine the daily patterns of 5-methoxytryptophol (ML) and melatonin in the pineal glands of Syrian hamsters kept in different photo-periods: 8 h light: 16 h darkness (8L:16D), 14L: 10D and 16L: 8D. A rhythm in pineal ML was evident in animals in all the photoperiods, with high daytime levels (641±35 (s.e.m.) fmol/gland; n=162) which dropped to 119±16 fmol/gland (n = 44) 7·1– 7·5 h after lights out. The duration of low night-time ML levels was proportional to the length of the dark phase (1·2 h in 16L:8D, 5·4 h in 14L: 10D and 8·4 h in 8L: 16D). A marked daily rhythm in melatonin was also present in hamsters in the different photoperiods, with daytime levels of 323 ± 34 fmol/gland (n = 129) and night-time peak concentrations of 3676 ± 336 fmol/gland (n = 22). The duration of high nocturnal melatonin levels was dependent upon the length of the dark phase (4·1 h in 16L: 8D, 4·5 h in 14L: 10D and 12·5 h in 8L: 16D). Linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant inverse relationship between pineal ML and melatonin levels in 8L: 16D (P< 0·001), 14L: 10D normal (P<0·05) and 14L: 10D shifted (P<0·001) photoperiods. After advancing the lighting schedule by 10 h (14L: 10D, lights off at 04.00 h), pineal ML and melatonin rhythms became entrained to the new lighting regimen. The daily rhythms in pineal ML and melatonin in the Syrian hamster thus depend on the prevailing photoperiod, a reciprocal relationship existing between pineal ML and melatonin concentrations. J. Endocr. (1987) 114, 301–309
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Bailey, Michael J., Phillip D. Beremand, Rick Hammer, Deborah Bell-Pedersen, Terry L. Thomas, and Vincent M. Cassone. "Transcriptional Profiling of the Chick Pineal Gland, a Photoreceptive Circadian Oscillator and Pacemaker." Molecular Endocrinology 17, no. 10 (October 1, 2003): 2084–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/me.2003-0121.
Abstract:
Abstract The avian pineal gland contains both circadian oscillators and photoreceptors to produce rhythms in biosynthesis of the hormone melatonin in vivo and in vitro. The molecular mechanisms for melatonin biosynthesis are largely understood, but the mechanisms driving the rhythm itself or the photoreceptive processes that entrain the rhythm are unknown. We have produced cDNA microarrays of pineal gland transcripts under light-dark and constant darkness conditions. Rhythmic transcripts were classified according to function, representing diverse functional groups, including phototransduction pathways, transcription/translation factors, ion channel proteins, cell signaling molecules, and immune function genes. These were also organized relative to time of day mRNA abundance in light-dark and constant darkness. The transcriptional profile of the chick pineal gland reveals a more complex form of gene regulation than one might expect from a gland whose sole apparent function is the rhythmic biosynthesis of melatonin. The mRNAs encoding melatonin biosynthesis are rhythmic as are many orthologs of mammalian “clock genes.” However, the oscillation of phototransductive, immune, stress response, hormone binding, and other important processes in the transcriptome of the pineal gland, raises new questions regarding the role of the pineal gland in circadian rhythm generation, organization, and avian physiology.
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Humbert, W., and P. Pévet. "Ultrastructural modifications of the pineal gland of aged rats: Role of calcium." Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America 49 (August 1991): 154–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0424820100085071.
Abstract:
The pineal gland, an important component of the neuroendocrine axis [review in Reiter] is known to play an important role in chronobiology and transduction of certain external stimuli. The purpose of the present investigation is to examine the pineal gland of young and aged rats and to determine structural and elemental alterations related to age.28 months-old male Wistar rats and young adult males (2-3 months old) were used. Pineal glands were quickly removed from the brain after decapitation and fixed with 3% gl utaraldehyde in 0.1 M Na cacodylate buffer (1h) and postfixed in 1% OsO4 buffered with 0.1 M Na cacodylate. For ultrastructural localization of calcium the potassium pyroantimonate method was used following the method of Eisenmann et al. Calcium was analyzed using a CAMEBAX mi croanalyser with the TEM mode and fitted with WDS spectrometers.
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Matsuo, Satoshi, Serhat Baydin, Abuzer Güngör, Koichi Miki, Noritaka Komune, Ryota Kurogi, Koji Iihara, and Albert L. Rhoton. "Midline and off-midline infratentorial supracerebellar approaches to the pineal gland." Journal of Neurosurgery 126, no. 6 (October 2016): 1984–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.3171/2016.7.jns16277.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVEA common approach to lesions of the pineal region is along the midline below the torcula. However, reports of how shifting the approach off midline affects the surgical exposure and relationships between the tributaries of the vein of Galen are limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the microsurgical and endoscopic anatomy of the pineal region as seen through the supracerebellar infratentorial approaches, including midline, paramedian, lateral, and far-lateral routes.METHODSThe quadrigeminal cisterns of 8 formalin-fixed adult cadaveric heads were dissected and examined with the aid of a surgical microscope and straight endoscope. Twenty CT angiograms were examined to measure the depth of the pineal gland, slope of the tentorial surface of the cerebellum, and angle of approach to the pineal gland in each approach.RESULTSThe midline supracerebellar route is the shortest and provides direct exposure of the pineal gland, although the culmen and inferior and superior vermian tributaries of the vein of Galen frequently block this exposure. The off-midline routes provide a surgical exposure that, although slightly deeper, may reduce the need for venous sacrifice at both the level of the veins from the superior cerebellar surface entering the tentorial sinuses and at the level of the tributaries of the vein of Galen in the quadrigeminal cistern, and require less cerebellar retraction. Shifting from midline to off-midline exposure also provides a better view of the cerebellomesencephalic fissure, collicular plate, and trochlear nerve than the midline approaches. Endoscopic assistance may aid exposure of the pineal gland while preserving the bridging veins.CONCLUSIONSUnderstanding the characteristics of different infratentorial routes to the pineal gland will aid in gaining a better view of the pineal gland and cerebellomesencephalic fissure and may reduce the need for venous sacrifice at the level of the tentorial sinuses draining the upper cerebellar surface and the tributaries of the vein of Galen.
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Coon, Steven L., Elena del Olmo, W. Scott Young, and David C. Klein. "Melatonin Synthesis Enzymes in Macaca mulatta: Focus on Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.87)." Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 87, no. 10 (October 1, 2002): 4699–706. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2002-020683.
Abstract:
Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT; serotonin N-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.87) plays a unique transduction role in vertebrate physiology as the key interface between melatonin production and regulatory mechanisms. Circulating melatonin is elevated at night in all vertebrates, because AANAT activity increases in the pineal gland in response to signals from the circadian clock. Circadian regulation of melatonin synthesis is implicated in a variety of human problems, including jet lag, shift work, insomnia, and abnormal activity rhythms in blind persons. In this report AANAT was studied in the rhesus macaque to better understand human melatonin regulation. AANAT mRNA is abundant in the pineal gland and retina, but not elsewhere; AANAT mRNA is uniformly distributed in the pineal gland, but is limited primarily to the photoreceptor outer segments in the retina. Day and night levels of pineal and retinal AANAT mRNA are similar. In contrast, AANAT activity and protein increase more than 4-fold at night in both tissues. The activity of hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase, the last enzyme in melatonin synthesis, is tonically high in the pineal gland, but is nearly undetectable in the retina; hydroxyindole O-methyltransferase mRNA levels exhibited a similar pattern. This supports the view that the source of circulating melatonin in primates is the pineal gland. The discovery in this study that rhesus pineal AANAT mRNA is high at all times is of special importance because it shows that posttranscriptional control of this enzyme plays a dominant role in regulating melatonin synthesis.