Time-related changes in size of nuclei of pinealocytes in rats

In a study of 96 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, da- and time-related changes of the mean nuclear volume of pinealocytes were determined with the aim of testing the reproducibility of the karyometric findings described by Quay and Renzoni (1966). It is shown (i) that statistically significant differences exist between the central and peripheral mean volumes of pinealocyte nuclei/group of animals and time point (p less than 0.001), (ii) that the day and time related differences are statistically different in both regions (p less than 0.001), (iii) that in the center and periphery of the pineal body different diurnal patterns exist, and (iv) that the diurnal patterns are not parallel in the two regions. The question discussed is (i) whether or not probable superimposed infradian rhythms may account for the different diurnal patterns, and (ii) whether these patterns in the two regions indicate functional differences between the "cortex" and the "medulla" of the rat pineal body.