Morphofunctional changes in the pineal gland during dynamic adaptation to hypothermia.
The effects of stress induced by hypothermia (+4 degrees C for 3 h) on the pathways of serotonin metabolism in the pineal gland and on its structure were studied in adult male Wistar rats. These experiments showed that the melatonin-forming function of the epiphysis undergoes phasic changes during adaptation: there was a significant increase during the first 15 min, which was followed by gradual inhibition (to initial by 30 min) and then sharp suppression (at 3 h). Suppression of the functional activity of the pineal gland occurred because of exclusion of a proportion of pinealocytes from the process of active functioning.
Bondarenko
L A
LA
Chronoendocrinology Laboratory, V. Ya. Danilevskii Institute of Problems of Endocrine Pathology, Ukrainian Academy of Medical Sciences, 10 Artem Street, 61002 Khar'kov-2, Ukraine.
Gubina-Vakulik
G I
GI
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D012701:Serotonin; D008550:Melatonin