Journal ArticleDOI
Indole Metabolism in the Pineal Gland: A Circadian Rhythm in N-Acetyltransferase
David C. Klein,Joan L. Weller +1 more
TLDR
Experiments in vitro indicate that norepinephrine, not serotonin, regulates the activity of N-acetyl-transferase through a highly specific receptor.Abstract:
The activity of N-acetyltransferase in the rat pineal gland is more than 15 times higher at night than during the day. This circadian rhythm persists in complete darkness, or in blinded animals, and is suppressed in constant lighting. The N-acetyltransferase rhythm is 180 degrees out of phase with the serotonin rhythm and is similar to the norepinephrine and melatonin rhythms. Experiments in vitro indicate that norepinephrine, not serotonin, regulates the activity of N-acetyl-transferase through a highly specific receptor.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Melatonin as an antioxidant: under promises but over delivers.
Russel J. Reiter,Juan C. Mayo,Dun Xian Tan,Rosa M. Sainz,Moisés Alejandro Alatorre-Jiménez,Lilian Qin +5 more
TL;DR: It is the current feeling of the authors that, in view of the widely diverse beneficial functions that have been reported for melatonin, these may be merely epiphenomena of the more fundamental, yet‐to‐be identified basic action(s) of this ancient molecule.
Journal ArticleDOI
The pineal gland: a neurochemical transducer.
TL;DR: In this article, Axelrod applied signal transduction theory to his research on the metabolic function of serotonin, even describing the pineal gland as a "neurochemical transducer."
Journal ArticleDOI
Visual pathways and the central neural control of a circadian rhythm in pineal serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity
TL;DR: It is concluded that the retinohypothalamic projection to the suprachiasmatic nuclei is essential for maintaining the entrainment to light of the circadian rhythm in pineal serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity in the rat.
Journal ArticleDOI
Generation of the Melatonin Endocrine Message in Mammals: A Review of the Complex Regulation of Melatonin Synthesis by Norepinephrine, Peptides, and Other Pineal Transmitters
TL;DR: The aim of this review is to gather together early and recent data on the effects of the nonadrenergic transmitters on modulation of melatonin synthesis, which reveals the variety of inputs that can be integrated by the pineal gland; what elements are crucial to deliver the very precise timing information to the organism.
Journal ArticleDOI
Circadian physiology of metabolism.
TL;DR: These findings highlight an integrative role of circadian rhythms in physiology and offer a new perspective for treating chronic diseases in which metabolic disruption is a hallmark.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
The development, topographical relations and innervation of the epiphysis cerebri in the albino rat.
TL;DR: The innervation of the pineal body is examined in normal adult rats as well as in a number of specimens in which both superior cervical ganglia were removed, showing topographical relations with this organ.
Journal ArticleDOI
Tryptophan Hydroxylation: Measurement in Pineal Gland, Brainstem, and Carcinoid Tumor
TL;DR: This is the first direct demonstration of tryptophan hydroxylase in this hydroxyindole-rich tissue, and the reaction requires a reduced pteridine and oxygen and is inhibired by Para-Chorophenylalanine.
Journal ArticleDOI
Localizing Tritiated Norepinephrine in Sympathetic Axons by Electron Microscopic Autoradiography
TL;DR: Following intravenous infusion of tritiated norepinephrine, rat pineals were prepared for combined autoradiography and electron microscopy and Concentrations of photographic grains were observed only over regions of preterminal autonomic axons containing granulated vesicles, thereby directly demonstrating uptake of norpinephrine into these axons and strongly suggesting that their granulatedVesicles contain nore Pinephrine.
Journal ArticleDOI
Purification and properties of hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase.
Julius Axelrod,Herbert Weissbach +1 more
Journal ArticleDOI
Control of hydroxyindole o-methyltransferase activity in the rat pineal gland by environmental lighting.
TL;DR: This work has shown that there is a ditirnal cycle in the enzymatic synthesis of melatonin and that this cycle is re,ulated by environmental lihltin.
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Sensitive assay for serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity in rat pineal.
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