Plasma and tissue concentrations of melatonin after midnight light exposure and pinealectomy in the pigeon.

The effect of midnight light exposure and pinealectomy on plasma and tissue concentrations of immunoreactive melatonin was studied in the pigeon. Light exposure of 80 min reduced plasma melatonin by 85%. The melatonin concentration fell to 50% of the original value during 12 min. Pinealectomy reduced plasma melatonin so that at midnight about 36 h after the operations the melatonin concentration of pinealectomized pigeons was about 55% of that of sham-operated pigeons. Two weeks after the operations plasma melatonin of pinealectomized pigeons had increased to 64% of that of sham-operated birds. At midday, melatonin levels were unaffected by the operations. The light-dark rhythm of plasma melatonin was also observed in pinealectomized pigeons. In tissue determinations pinealectomy was found to reduce hypothalamic melatonin significantly, suggesting that the pineal is the main source of hypothalamic melatonin. In the Harderian glands a significant increase of melatonin concentrations was observed after pinealectomy. These glands may therefore be the compensatory organs, explaining the presence of circulating melatonin after pinealectomy.