Presence of a pineal nerve in sheep and rabbit fetuses.
The presence of a nerve located just caudal to the pineal gland in the midsagittal plane is demonstrated in sheep and rabbit fetuses. This nerve lies freely in the subarachnoid space and extends from the pineal gland to a region of the CNS located dorsal to the rostralmost part of the subcommissural organ (SCO). In rabbit fetuses the nerve is obsered on days 23 and 24 of gestation; we suggest that it is an ontogenetic equivalent to the pineal nerve of anuran amphibians. The developmental fate of the mammalian fetal pineal nerve is dicussed.
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D005865:Gestational Age; D009434:Neural Pathways; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000196:embryology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*