A study in aging: Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis of human pineal gland concretions

Allen, Delmas J.; Meserve, Lee A.; Raifsnider, R.; Chappuies, S.A.

doi:10.1016/0047-7206(81)90064-9

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Recently, concretions have also been found in the pineals of the gerbil (18, 17, 37), the Rhesus monkey (22) and the rat (8,10). Although the functional significance of pineal acervuli is unclear, their incidence in humans (19,20,41) and gerbils (18) is high and increases progressively with age (1,18). It has been suggested that the calcified inclusions may be related to the transport activity of the gland (34) or that their formation may be the result of a reduced drainage of tissue fluid from the gland (8).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

ACTION OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTS OR INJECTIONS OF MELATONIN ON REPRODUCTIVE AND METABOLIC VARIABLES AND PINEAL CONCRETIONS IN MALE GERBILS (MERIONES UNGUICULATUS)

Vaughan¹,

Spanel‐Borowski²,

Karasek³

et al. 1983

Biomed. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Adult male gerbils were injected daily with either diluent or 25 pg of melatonin; an additional group received a subcutaneous implant every 2 weeks of a beeswax pellet which contained 2 mg of melatonin. Gerbils receiving either the melatonin implants or injections had significantly fewer pineal concretions as well as reduced absolute and relative accessory organ weights a.nd plasma testosterone levels compared to the values of control animals. Additionally, the group receiving melatonin injections had significantly reduced absolute and relative testicular and epididymal fat pad weights. Plasma cholesterol, free fatty acids, thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels were unaffected by either melatonin treatment regimen.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

ACTION OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTS OR INJECTIONS OF MELATONIN ON REPRODUCTIVE AND METABOLIC VARIABLES AND PINEAL CONCRETIONS IN MALE GERBILS (MERIONES UNGUICULATUS)

Vaughan¹,

Spanel‐Borowski²,

Karasek³

et al. 1983

Biomed. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…That is, the concretions showing a brown to blackish-brown color might be rich in organic components and the translucent-rich concretions might be more mineralized. The pineal capsule concretions showing high to lower BSE signals were calcified with Ca and P as were the pineal matrix concretions in adult humans 4-6, 9, 10 and aging rats 3 , and the capsule concretions in aging rats 12 . From the Ca / P molar ratios measured in this study Our comparison of concretions revealed a significantly higher P content in the matrix concretions compared to the capsule concretions in both the central and peripheral regions, although there was no significant difference in Ca content.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, the capsule concretions appeared mineralized in a contact microradiograph by LM 8 and the size was usually smaller than that of the matrix concretions 3,8 , but the color has was not denoted. The color difference between these pineal concretions may be based on their rough or dense compositions of organic and mineral components.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These matrix concretions, known also as psammoma bodies or brain sands, show a mulberry-shaped overall appearance 4,6,10 with the characteristic scallop-shaped laminations 1,3,8,10,11 . Many of the matrix concretions may initially start at the calcified pinealocytes or other cells 1,3,8,11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Non-fibrous calcareous concretions in the pineal matrix of some mammals [1][2][3] and humans [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] are formed by a fine lamination of alternating organic-rich and mineral-rich materials 1,11 . These matrix concretions, known also as psammoma bodies or brain sands, show a mulberry-shaped overall appearance 4,6,10 with the characteristic scallop-shaped laminations 1,3,8,10,11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Fibrous Calcareous Concretions in the Capsules of Human Pineal Glands

Kodaka

Mori

Ezure

et al. 2013

Showa Univ J Med Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

: We examined calcareous concretions in the capsule of 15 human pineal glands containing a large amount of the concretions in the matrix. The capsule concretions, brown to blackish-brown in color and / or translucent, were smaller than the matrix concretions, which were yellowish-white. The matrix concretions showed the typical mulberry-shaped overall appearance with scallop-shaped concentric laminations of non-brous structures, but the capsule concretions, which also contained Ca and P, showed a globular or oval shape with regular, rough, or no concentric laminations. The capsule concretions also showed globules of mineralized collagen fibers that resembled randomly wound threads and that were occasionally associated with minute spherical deposits showing hypermineralization in the core region as initial calci cation. Na was detected as a minor characteristic element of the capsule concretions, and at a signi cantly higher level than that of the matrix concretions. The ndings strongly suggested that a human pineal gland containing numerous matrix concretions is likely to produce mineralized deposits in the capsule.

show abstract

The ultrastructure of mammalian pinealocytes: A systematic investigation

Bhatnagar

1992

Microscopy Res & Technique

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pinealocytes are not only the principal cellular components of the pineal gland, but they are also the principal synthetic machinery of this enigmatical gland with highly diverse and often questionable empyreal roles assigned to it. Ultrastructural descriptions of pinealocytes belonging to some 70 species of mammals (a mere 2% or less of the over 4,200 mammalian species) have been summarized from the available literature with new observations on 12 species of chiropterans. Space limitation precluded any treatment of the supporting glia, neural elements, and the perivascular spaces. A detailed table lists nearly all mammalian species whose pineal ultrastructure has been investigated. Blanks in this table point to the necessity of studies on those particular groups. A tabular listing of unusual structures reported within the pinealocyte cytoplasm points out the impending experimental work on these species. Such studies using the latest techniques might provide clearer insights into the functional role of the pineal gland as an important and integral component of the neuroendocrine axis. Whereas sufficient structural information now exists on cytoplasmic organelles such as synaptic ribbons and spherules, annulate lamellae, subsurface cisterns, and the several types of synaptic arrangements seen in relation to the pinealocyte soma and its processes, the functional role of these structures in pineal synthetic processes remains to be elucidated.

show abstract

A study in aging: Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis of human pineal gland concretions

Cited by 7 publications

References 4 publications

<b>ACTION OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTS OR INJECTIONS OF MELATONIN ON REPRODUCTIVE AND METABOLIC VARIABLES AND PINEAL CONCRETIONS IN MALE GERBILS <i>(MERIONES UNGUICULAT</i></b><b><i>US) </i></b>

<b>ACTION OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTS OR INJECTIONS OF MELATONIN ON REPRODUCTIVE AND METABOLIC VARIABLES AND PINEAL CONCRETIONS IN MALE GERBILS <i>(MERIONES UNGUICULAT</i></b><b><i>US) </i></b>

Fibrous Calcareous Concretions in the Capsules of Human Pineal Glands

The ultrastructure of mammalian pinealocytes: A systematic investigation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About