Calcium content and concretions of pineal glands of young and old rats. A scanning and X-ray microanalytical study.
Calcium content and pineal concretions were studied in young (2-3 months) and old (28 months) Wistar rats. Samples, deep-frozen by liquid propane isopentane and freeze-dried were analysed by means of X-ray microanalysis in a scanning electron microscope. Total semi-quantitative measurements revealed that pineals of old rats showed a marked increase of calcium compared with the pineals of young rats. It is thus suggested that a calcium-rich environment is responsible for the growth of pineal concretions, which only appear in old rats. Pineal calcifications in rats could thus be an indicator of aging and/or of a degenerating state.
Humbert
W
W
CNRS-URA 1332 Neurobiologie des fonctions rythmiques et saisonnières, Laboratoire de Zoologie, Strasbourg, France.
Pévet
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P
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002118:Calcium