Vol 65, No 3 (2006)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2006-06-08
The pinealocytes of the human pineal gland: a light and electron microscopic study
S.M. Al-Hussain
Folia Morphol 2006;65(3):181-187.
Vol 65, No 3 (2006)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2006-06-08
Abstract
The pinealocytes of the pineal gland of children and adults were studied at both
light and electron microscopic levels. The pinealocytes were classified into light
and dark pinealocytes on the basis of their shape, nuclear infolding, cytoplasmic
contents and staining density. The light pinealocytes outnumber the dark pinealocytes
and both of them have thin processes. The light pinealocytes have round
or oval cell bodies and nuclei and have vesicles and ribbons. The dark pinealocytes
showed more variations in their shape. The nuclear membrane of the dark
cells showed numerous infoldings with deep invagination of parts of the cytoplasm
within the nuclear folds, giving the appearance of nuclear pellets. The
dark pinealocytes contain pigment in their cytoplasm. In addition to the light
and dark pinealocytes a very small cell type with an extremely thin and elongated
cell body and nucleus was found. The cells of this type were almost always
associated with vacuoles filled with flocculent material and accumulations of
presumptive secretion in the extracellular compartment. The findings of this
study were discussed in the light of the published data about the pinealocytes of
human and non-human species.
Abstract
The pinealocytes of the pineal gland of children and adults were studied at both
light and electron microscopic levels. The pinealocytes were classified into light
and dark pinealocytes on the basis of their shape, nuclear infolding, cytoplasmic
contents and staining density. The light pinealocytes outnumber the dark pinealocytes
and both of them have thin processes. The light pinealocytes have round
or oval cell bodies and nuclei and have vesicles and ribbons. The dark pinealocytes
showed more variations in their shape. The nuclear membrane of the dark
cells showed numerous infoldings with deep invagination of parts of the cytoplasm
within the nuclear folds, giving the appearance of nuclear pellets. The
dark pinealocytes contain pigment in their cytoplasm. In addition to the light
and dark pinealocytes a very small cell type with an extremely thin and elongated
cell body and nucleus was found. The cells of this type were almost always
associated with vacuoles filled with flocculent material and accumulations of
presumptive secretion in the extracellular compartment. The findings of this
study were discussed in the light of the published data about the pinealocytes of
human and non-human species.
Keywords
human; pineal gland; pinealocytes
Title
The pinealocytes of the human pineal gland: a light and electron microscopic study
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 65, No 3 (2006)
Article type
Original article
Pages
181-187
Published online
2006-06-08
Page views
614
Article views/downloads
2970
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2006;65(3):181-187.
Keywords
human
pineal gland
pinealocytes
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