Melatonin production by the guinea pig pineal gland in vitro.

The fluid bathing pineal glands isolated from guinea pigs was collected serially and its melatonin content was estimated. Production was found to be high (500 pg/5 min) soon after isolation of the gland: it declined exponentially to a maintained lower level (50 pg/5 min) with a half-time of 16-20 min. A rapid increase could be produced by exposure of the gland to the beta-adrenoceptor agonist orciprenaline or by stimulating it electrically. The time course and the extent of the responses to either form of stimulation were similar in glands that had been taken in the morning, at dusk or in mid-dark: the prestimulation peak was lower from glands taken at dusk. Thus the pineal gland of the guinea pig is capable of responding rapidly to stimulation of its beta-adrenoceptors at any time. These responses parallel the depolarization observed intracellularly in this species when the pineal gland is stimulated electrically or exposed to beta-adrenoceptor agonists.