Pineal Gland Behaviour as Affected by Cold

Miline, R.; Devecerski, V; Sijacki, N.; Krstić, Radivoj V.

doi:10.1159/000178192

Cited by 33 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…However, there are indications of some kind of association of thermal conditions in birds and mammals with the pineal. The pineal gland of rats exposed to low t e m p e r ature show cytological changes indicative of stimulated activity (Miline et al, 1970), and that of rats exposed to high temperatures have decreased RNA and protein content (Nir, Hirschmann and Sulman, 1972). Pinealectomized rats are more sensitive to cold than normal rats (Miline, 1969).…”

Section: Generalizations and Summarymentioning

confidence: 99%

The pineal gland and geographical distribution of animals

Ralph

1975

Int J Biometeorol

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ABSTRACT.-A detailed analysis of the occurrence of parietal eye component of the pineal complex in families of lizards has revealed that those in which the parietal eye is absent in most genera (e. g. Gekkonidae, Teiidae) tend to be restricted to low latitudes, whereas families in which the parietal eye is present in most of the genera (e. g. Agamidae, Iguanidae) extend to higher latitudes. Those few genera which lack parietal eyes in the families where the very great majority have parietal eyes are confined to ranges rather close to the equator. The parietal eye may be important in thermoregulatory or reproductive adaptations at higher latitudes where seasons are more severely varied than at lower latitudes. A pineal body is reported to be absent in crocodilians, edentates and, perhaps, dugongs. All these animals tend to inhabit tropical regions. In contrast, seals and walruses have remarkably large pineal glands and are found at very high latitudes. These few fragments of information cannot be used to support any conclusions, but they do suggest that it might be productive to consider the pineal complexes of animals in the context of their geographical distribution.

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Section: Generalizations and Summarymentioning

confidence: 99%

The pineal gland and geographical distribution of animals

Ralph

1975

Int J Biometeorol

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“…They have since been reported as typically occurring organelles in a wide range of mammalian pinealocytes (adult rat: Hopsu and Arstila, 1964;Wolfe, 1965;Arstila, 1967;cat: Wartenberg, 1968; rhesus and squirrel monkey: Wartenberg, 1968 Pevet et al, 1977). Experimental studies involving cold stress in the rat (Miline et al, 1970), pregnancy in the second half of gestation in the guinea pig (Lues, 1971), constant darkness in the guinea pig (Lues, 1971), and orchidectomy in the rat (Karasek, 1976) all resulted in dramatic increases in the number of ribbons observed. Conversely, reserpine treatment in the guinea pig resulted in a decrease in the number of synaptic ribbons (Lues,197i).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The synaptic ribbons of the guinea pig pineal gland in sterile, pregnant and fertile but non-pregnant females and in reproductively active males

1979

J. Neural Transmission

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Pinealocyte ultrastructure has been studied in four sterile, four pregnant and three fertile but non-pregnant females, and also in three reproductively active male pigmented Duncan Hartley guinea pigs. Synaptic ribbons are dense, rod-like structures with a linear arrangement of clear vesicles periodically spaced on both sides of the rodlet. Although these structures were observed in the pinealocytes of all of the animals studied, they were scarce and difficult to locate in tissue from the fertile, non-pregnant females and from the reproductively active males. They were numerous in the pineal glands of the pregnant and sterile females. Typically they lie perpendicular to the cell membrane of the pinealocyte polar process and in close proximity to a polar process of a neighboring cell. The increased incidence of synaptic ribbons in pinealocytes which appear to be in a heightened state of activity strongly suggests a function for this structure. Synaptic ribbons are also present in sensory systems such as rods and cones of the retina, hair cells of the organ of Corti and hair cells of the vestibular apparatus. This fact, plus the photoreceptor function of pinealocytes in lower vertebrates, lends credence to the possibility that this structure may serve a sensory or receptor function in the guinea pig gland.

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“…Previous studies have shown that exposure to cold (3-10 ~ for one day to several weeks increases pinealocyte activity (Quay, I958;Miline et al, 1968Miline et al, , 1970Krstil, 1972;Devegerski, 1972;Bucana et al, 1973;Matsushima and Morisawa, 1978). With respect to melatonin formation variable results have been obtained.…”

Section: Ambient Temperaturementioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of a number of short-term exogenous stimuli on pineal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activity in rats

Welker

Vollrath

1984

J. Neural Transmission

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The present study deals with the question as to what extent the sympathetically innervated rat pineal gland is affected by a number of short-term exogenous stimuli given during day-time, as assessed by measuring pineal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activity (NAT) which is directly proportional to melatonin formation. In male Sprague-Dawley rats kept under LD 12:12 pineal NAT was statistically significantly depressed by physical immobilization for 2 hours, swimming for 15 min in water of 10 and 30 degrees C, exposure for 2 hours to cold (5 degrees C) or heat (40 degrees C), noise (90 db) for 2 hours and hunger for 17 hours. An increase in NAT was noted after swimming for 15 min in water of 20 degrees C. No effect was detectable after 17 hours of thirst or hunger combined with thirst and in one of 2 experiments involving exposure to heat (40 degrees C, 2 hours) and insulin-induced hypoglycemia. In animals kept under continuous illumination for 48 hours, immobilization resulted in a slightly smaller decrease than under LD 12:12 and insulin-induced hypoglycemia led to a striking increase of NAT. As the changes in pineal NAT are brought about by rather strong exogenous stimuli it is suspected that the rat pineal gland during day-time is not very susceptible to ambient factors of normal range.

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Pineal Gland Behaviour as Affected by Cold

Cited by 33 publications

References 3 publications

The pineal gland and geographical distribution of animals

The pineal gland and geographical distribution of animals

The synaptic ribbons of the guinea pig pineal gland in sterile, pregnant and fertile but non-pregnant females and in reproductively active males

The effects of a number of short-term exogenous stimuli on pineal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activity in rats

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