title: The effect of treatment with melatonin upon the ultrastructure of the mouse pineal gland: a quantitative study.
abstract: In order to evaluate melatonin implication in the regulating of its own secretory process by pinealocytes, we used morphometric techniques for transmission electron microscopy. In mice treated with 100 mg of melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) by daily subcutaneous injection, we observed a decrease in number and volumetric density of lysosomes. Our results showed that melatonin influences the secretory activity of pinealocytes and participates in a complex secretory regulating mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia, Centro Biomédico, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil. redins@npd.ufes.br
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Redins
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Redins
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Novaes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin