Summary
In the present study the central innervation of the guinea-pig pineal gland was investigated. The habenulae and the pineal stalk contain myelinated and non-myelinated nerve fibres with few dense-cored and electron-lucent vesicles. Some myelinated fibres leave the main nerve fibre bundles, lose their myelin-sheaths and terminate in the pineal gland. Although direct proof is lacking, the non-myelinated fibres appear to end near the site where the bulk of the myelinated fibres are located. Here a neuropil area exists where synapses between non-myelinated fibre elements are abundant. Neurosecretory fibres were also seen. The results support the concept of functional interrelationships between hypothalamus, epithalamus and the pineal gland.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bargmann W (1954) Neurosekretion und hypothalamisch-hypophysäres System. Verh Anat Ges 51:30–45
Barry J (1956) Les voies extra-hypophysaires de la neurosécretion diencéphalic. Ass de Anatomistes 89:264–276
Björklund A, Owman Ch, West KA (1972) Peripheral sympathetic innervation and serotonin cells in the habenular region of the rat brain. Z Zellforsch 127:570–579
Buijs RM, Pévet P (1980) Vasopressin-and oxytocin-containing fibres in the pineal gland and subcommissural organ of the rat. Cell Tissue Res 205:11–17
David GFX, Herbert J (1973) Experimental evidence for a synaptic connection between habenula and pineal ganglion in the ferret. Brain Res 64:327–343
David GFX, Herbert J, Wright GDS (1973) The ultrastructure of the pineal ganglion in the ferret. J Anat 115:79–97
Dogterom J, Snijdewint FGM, Pévet P, Buijs RM (1979) On the presence of neuropeptides in the mammalian pineal gland and subcommissural organ. Progr Brain Res 52:465–470
Hartmann F (1957) Über die Innervation der Epiphysis cerebri einiger Säugetiere. Z Zellforsch 46:416–429
Japha JL, Eder TJ, Goldsmith ED (1974) Morphological and histochemical features of the gerbil pineal system. Anat Rec 178:381–382
Kappers Ariëns J (1960) The development, topographical relations and innervation of the epiphysis cerebri in the albino rat. Z Zellforsch 52:163–215
Karnovsky MJ (1965) A formaldehyde-glutaraldehyde fixative of high osmolality for use in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 27:137A-138A
König A, Meyer A (1967) Tagesperiodische Schwankungen einer antidiuretischen Aktivität aus der Epiphysis cerebri ausgewachsener männlicher Ratten. Naturwissenschaften 54:93
König A, Meyer A (1971) The effect of continuous illumination on the circadian rhythm of the antidiuretic activity of the rat pineal. J interdiscipl Cycle Res 2:255–262
König A, Meyer A, Thieme U (1970) Die akute antidiuretische Aktivität der Epiphysis cerebri von Wistar-Ratten. Endokrinologie 55:353–358
Korf HW, Wagner U (1980) Evidence for a nervous connection between the brain and the pineal organ in the guinea pig. Cell Tissue Res 209:505–510
Krapp C (1978) The ependyma on the pineal of the guinea pig (Cavia cobaya). A scanning electron microscopic investigation. Anat Embryol 152:217–222
Lukaszyk A, Reiter RJ (1974) Neurosecretion in the pineal gland of Macaco rhesus. Experientia 30:654–655
Lukaszyk A, Reiter RJ (1975) Histological evidence for the secretion of polypeptides by the pineal gland. Am J Anat 143:451–464
Matsushima S, Reiter RJ (1978) Electron microscopic observations on neuron-like cells in the ground-squirrel pineal gland. J Neural Transmis 42:223–237
Milhaud M, Pappas GD (1966) The fine structure of neurons and synapses of the habenula of the cat with special reference to sub-junctional bodies. Brain Res 3:158–173
Møller M (1978) Presence of a pineal nerve (nervus pinealis) in the human fetus: a light and electron microscopical study of the innervation of the pineal gland. Brain Res 154:1–12
Oksche A (1965) Survey of the development and comparative morphology of the pineal organ. Progr Brain Res 10:3–29
Pavel S (1979) The mechanism of action of vasotocin in the mammalian brain. Progr Brain Res 52:445–458
Peterson GM, Watkins WB, Moore RY (1980) The suprachiasmatic hypothalamic nuclei of the rat. Vasopressin neurons and circadian rhythmicity. Behav Neur Biol 29:236–245
Pévet P, Reinharz AC, Dogterom J (1980) Neurophysins, vasopressin and oxytocin in the bovine pineal gland. Neuroscience Letters 16:301–306
Romijn HJ (1975) Structure and innervation of the pineal gland of the rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.). III. An electron microscopic investigation of the innervation. Cell Tissue Res 157:25–51
Rønnekleiv OK, Møller M (1979) Brain-pineal nervous connections in the rat: an ultrastructure study following habenular lesion. Expt Brain Res 37:551–562
Rønnekleiv OK, Kelly MJ, Wuttke W (1980) Single unit recordings in the rat pineal gland: evidence for habenulo-pineal neural connections. Expt Brain Res 39:187–192
Sartin JL, Brui BC, Orts RJ (1979) Neurotransmitter regulation of arginine vasotocin release from rat pineal glands in vitro. Acta Endocrinol 91:571–576
Semm P, Schneider T., Vollrath L (1981a) Morphological and electrophysiological evidence for habenular influence on the guinea-pig pineal gland. J Neural Transmiss 50:247–266
Semm P, Demaine C, Vollrath L (1981b) Electrical responses of pineal cells to melatonin and putative transmitters: evidence for circadian changes in sensitivity. Expt Brain Res (in press)
Ueck M (1979) Innervation of the vertebrate pineal. Progr Brain Res 52:45–88
Vollrath L (1981) The Pineal Organ. In: Oksche A, Vollrath L (eds) Hdb mikr Anat Mensch Vol VI/7 Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Wiklund L (1974) Development of serotonin-containing cells and the sympathetic innervation of the habenular region in the rat brain. A fluorescence histochemical study. Cell Tissue Res 155:231–243
Wood JG (1973) The effects of niamid and reserpine on the nerve endings of the pineal gland. Z Zellforsch 45:151–166
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schneider, T., Semm, P. & Vollrath, L. Ultrastructural observations on the central innervation of the guinea-pig pineal gland. Cell Tissue Res. 220, 41–49 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209964
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209964