Morphometric analysis of the pineal complex of the golden hamster over a 24-hour light:dark cycle: I. The superficial pineal in untreated and optically enucleated animals.

Morphometric analysis of the superficial pineal gland of intact and blinded golden hamsters was conducted at both the light and electron microscopic level. The volume of the superficial gland was estimated to be 151 X 10(6) micron 3, comprising 90-94% of the total pineal parenchymal tissue. Analysis of structural rhythms in animals maintained under a 14:10 L:D cycle showed significant 24-hr variations in values for pinealocyte nuclei, nucleoli, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, dense bodies, and dense-cored vesicles. Peak values for these structures generally occurred at the light:dark interface. These results provide morphological correlates for known rhythmic variations in the synthesis of pineal-gland products. Superficial pineals examined 8 weeks following optic enucleation exhibited a decrease in the volume of pinealocyte nuclei and cytoplasm, while nucleolar size and the amounts of smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, dense bodies and dense-cored vesicles were enhanced. The latter changes are interpreted as indications of increased synthetic activity by the superficial pineal gland in response to light deprivation.