The article presents the results of the study on morphological rearrangements of structural changes in the rat pineal gland under the influence of heavy metal salts and correction with L-tocopherol during 30 days. General morphological and statistical research methods were used (histological, morphometric and statistic methods). The protective effect of L-tocopherol caused in the pineal gland a number of compensatory-adaptive processes aimed at neutralizing the stressor's impact on the organ. The 30days protective period of L-tocopherol is insufficient to completely neutralize the impact of heavy metals on the organ: the glial response was activated, vascular area increased, vascular wall permeability was impaired, edema was formed and the connective tissue component growth was taking place, indicating dysfunctional reorganization in the gland's secretory activity. The above morphological changes negatively affected the processes of hormones evacuation into the blood, the course of the general adaptation syndrome and the homeostasis restoration in the organ.
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