Ultrastructure of the rat pineal stalk.
The ultrastructure of the rat pineal stalk was described. The pineal stalk contained few pinealocytes, glial cells and numerous nerve fibers. The last were mostly non-myelinated axons, although a few myelinated ones were also observed. Glial cells showed many filaments, mostly in the processes which presented a longitudinal orientation. Other more lamellar processes were found enclosing the axons. The pineal stalk became wider as it reached the body of the gland. Ultrastructurally, this wide region resembled more the pineal body. Bundles of non-myelinated nerve fibers were seen around the pineal stalk.
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002843:Chromatin