Primary cultures of dispersed cells of rat pineal gland. I. Fine structure and indole metabolism.

In vitro indole metabolism and ultrastructural morphology of the pineal gland of male rats were examined. A comparison of the effect of norepinephrine stimulation on indole synthesis in whole cultured glands and preparations of dispersed pineal cells is discussed. Our studies on the performance of dispersed cells during the first 24 h after preparation indicate a strong dependence of pineal cells upon physical attachment to the culture dish and probably also on cell-to-cell contact.