Quantitation of ultrastructural twenty-four-hour changes in pineal nuclear dimensions

An ultrastructural stereological analysis was made of the nucleus in pinealocytes of 28 male Fischer rats sampled at seven times in a light:dark 12:12 photoperiod cycle. Comparisons of the data from the seven times, in relation to daily means, showed variations in mean nuclear cross-sectional surface area of +/- 16%, and in mean nuclear perimeter of +/- 10%. Peaks in both nuclear dimensions occurred at the middle of the light period and were coincident with the presence of elaborate nuclear configurations and deep indentations. At 2330 and 0430 (1 and 6 h after lights off) nuclear folding was generally less complex. Mitochondria were found in close association with the nuclear folds. Forty percent of nucleoli were marginated at all of the sampling times, except at 1130 (1 h after lights on) and at 2330 (1 h after lights off), when 50% and 35%, respectively, were marginated.