title: Scanning electron microscopy of the superficial pineal gland of the 15-day-old rat (Rattus norvegicus).
abstract: The presence of a cortex and medulla in the superficial pineal gland has been a controversial point in the morphology of this structure in mammals. The published reports indicate contradictory data especially in rodents. In this study the pineal gland of 15-day-old male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were studied, using scanning electron microscopy, in an attempt to determine whether or not a cortex and medulla are apparent in the pineal gland of young rats. The superficial pineal gland of the 15-day-old rat exhibited both a cortex and a medulla; these areas exhibited different structural organizations. The cortex had a thickness of 40-80 microm and the cells did not show a particular arrangement. The center of the gland was composed of a medulla, which had a width of 1000-1200 microm, and consisted of cells arranged in cords; its morphology was distinctly different from that of the cortex.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Desarrollo-Envejecimiento, División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. genarogabriel@yahoo.com
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feria-Velasco
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rosales-Corral
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000662:veterinary; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley / Q000033:anatomy & histology*