Abstract

The distribution and proportion of cytoplasm containing immunoreactive neuron specific enolase (NSE) in the rat pineal have been investigated. Step serial sections of the pineal glands of 7 male Sprague-Dawley rats were stained for NSE using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. The volumes of the pineals and of the regions containing reactive cells were derived from the distance between sections and the sum of the corresponding sectional areas of camera lucida drawings. The proportion of the NSE areas actually consisting of NSE reactive cytoplasm was measured using an image array processor.

Cytoplasm reactive for NSE was consistently localized to the posterior and dorsal aspects of the pineal. To express this in quantitative terms the volume of reactive cytoplasm in the anterior and posterior halves of the glands were determined separately. It was found that on the average 79 % of the total NSE volume was found in the posterior 46% of the pineal volume.

The volume occupied by NSE positive cells ranged from 0.02x10-3 mm3 to 42.7x10-3mm3 per pineal. The average volume was 2.1% of the pineal volume, which was 0.334 mm3 (S.D. 0.21). Pineal volume also exhibited a wide range from 0.151 to 0.727 mm3. This great variability in both the volume of pineal and of NSE reactive cytoplasm is discussed, and it is suggested that when the factors that control this variability are identified, pineal functions will be more readily understood.

LLU Discipline

Anatomy

Department

Anatomy

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Paul J. McMillan

Second Advisor

Robert L. Schultz

Third Advisor

Arthur E. Dalgeish

Fourth Advisor

Jean-March Tieche

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1983

Date (Title Page)

12-1983

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Pineal Body; Rats; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase

Type

Thesis

Page Count

v; 55

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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