Chemical characterization of pineal neurons in perinatal rats.

Abstract Ample evidence indicates that in several mammalian species the pineal body contains neurons. In adult white albino rats neurons are not present in the pineal body; however, in perinatal rats many neurons were described. It was demonstrated that in adult mammalian species the pineal neurons contained some neuropeptides and neurotransmitters such as leu-enkephalin, met-enkephalin, substance-P, somatostatin and γ-aminobutiric acid. Oxytocin, vasopressin mRNAs and peptides were also demonstrated. No data are available on the chemical nature of the neurons in perinatal rats. In the present experiment we used immunohistochemistry to clarify this issue. After paraformaldehyde fixation frozen sections were prepared and stained for immunoreactivities of several neuropeptides and neurotransmitters. Dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH), neuropeptide-Y (NPY), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), vesicular glutamate transporter (VGluT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antibodies were able to stain fibers. According to previous data these fibers may be sympathetic (DBH, NPY), parasympathetic (VAChT) or sensory (CGRP). VGluT antibody may stain pinealocytes as well. Some cells were immunoreactive for substance-P, oxytocin, vasopressin, leu-enkefalin and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). These immnoreactivities showed colocalization with neuron-specific nuclear protein immunoreactivity indicating that these cells are neurons. Calbindin was observed in oval and elongated cells resembling pinealocytes. Based on the results obtained in adult mammals, the pineal neurons may be analogue to retinal ganglion cells, or they may function as interneurons in the retino-pinealo-retinal neuronal circuit or the peptidergic neurons may influence the pinealocytes in a paracrine manner.