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Pinealocyte

About: Pinealocyte is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1605 publications have been published within this topic receiving 55609 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The bird pinealocytes show diagnostic characters which seem to represent an evolutionary transition from photosensory cells of lower vertebrates to the neuroendocrinal cells of mammals, and the G-proteins identified in the present study are likely to contribute to this neuroendocrine function of the chicken pineal cells.
Abstract: The avian pinealocytes have an intrinsic circadian clock function that controls rhythmic synthesis of melatonin, and an environmental light signal can reset the phase of the clock. In addition to the photoendocrine function, the melatonin synthesis of the pinealocytes is regulated by neural signals from sympathetic nerves. Thus the avian pinealocytes show diagnostic characters which seem to represent an evolutionary transition from photosensory cells of lower vertebrates to the neuroendocrinal cells of mammals. To understand the evolutionary background of the regulatory mechanism for the melatonin synthesis in this organ, we screened the chicken pineal cDNA library to find α-subunits of heterotrimeric G-proteins involved in the photic and neural regulations. In addition to the transducin-like α-subunit (G,α) supposed to mediate the photic pathway, we isolated cDNA clones encoding Gi2α, Gi3α, and Gola and its splicing variant Go2α. The deduced amino acid sequence of each Gα had a potential site for pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. As it is known that adrenergic receptor-mediated inhibition of melatonin synthesis is blocked by pertussis toxin, the G-proteins identified in the present study are likely to contribute to this neuroendocrine function of the chicken pineal cells.

12 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The involvement of adrenoceptors in the regulation of circadian rhythms in electrophysiological properties of Syrian hamster pinealocytes is demonstrated and the classification of receptors by means of iontophoresis may provide a basis to explain the difficulty to influence pineal melatonin synthesis by sympathomimetics in theSyrian hamster.

12 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that the pineal gland is itself a target for exogenously administered melatonin, which when administered systemically may be used as a potential neuroprotective drug against neuronal damage induced by sleep deprivation.

12 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Pineal glands from young adult hamsters kept on a 14-10 light-dark photoperiod contain annulate lamellae, and it seems reasonable that the presence of annulate lainellae in the pinealocytes may have some correlation with the physiological function or functions of these cells.
Abstract: Pineal glands from young adult hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus Water-house) kept on a 14–10 light-dark photoperiod contain annulate lamellae. These annulate lamellae are apparently limited to the light pinealocytes. They are found in close proximity to nuclei, the Golgi apparatus, and agranular endoplasmic reticulum. There is also an interesting association or microtubules with the annulate lamellae. It seems reasonable that the presence of annulate lainellae in the pinealocytes may have some correlation with the physiological function or functions of these cells.

12 citations

Journal Article
01 Jan 1982-Cytobios
TL;DR: The results of the present study suggest that the pineal gland may play a subtle role in pregnancy.
Abstract: The numbers of Golgi profiles, dense-core vesicles, vacuoles containing a flocculent material, lysosomes, lipid droplets, 'synaptic' ribbons and microtubular sheaves were counted in the rat pinealocytes in the last 5 days of pregnancy. The numbers of Golgi profiles and dense-core vesicles increase at days 21 and 22, while numbers of LYS and LD increase the day before parturition. On the contrary, the number of VFC decreases in the final day of pregnancy. The results of the present study suggest that the pineal gland may play a subtle role in pregnancy.

12 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202310
202219
202116
202011
201915
201817