title: Ultrastructure of the pineal gland in the adult dog.
abstract: The adult dog pineal gland was studied with the electron microscope. Pineal connective tissue spaces were poorly developed and showed capillaries with nonfenestrated endothelial cells. Two cell types, pinealocytes and astrocytes, could be identified in pineal parenchyma. Dog pinealocytes showed microtubules, centrioles, occasional cilia, and well-developed Golgi complexes. These cells showed thin processes with bulbous endings packed with vesicles. Astrocytes were characterized by the presence of numerous filaments. Their processes finished forming a glial layer bordering connective tissue spaces. The presence of myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers was also described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boya
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garcia-Mauriño
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002502:Centrioles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure*