title: Nucleolus-like bodies in the pineal gland of the adult yak (Bos grunniens).
abstract: The pineal glands of adult yak were studied electron microscopically. Nucleolus-like bodies (NLBs) were found mostly in the pinealocytes and the interstitial cells of the pineal glands of the yak. The NLBs were electron-dense, round or ovoid bodies with a diameter of 50 nm - 500 nm. Two types of granules were identified as melanin. These may correspond to different stages of a progressive storage of melanin. Rough endoplasmic reticula with abundant ribosomes were observed. There was no correlation between the number of NLBs and the sex of the animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Henan, China. xiezhaohui@hncj.edu.cn
authors.forename: Zhaohui H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins