A Light and Electron Microscopic Study of the Pineal Gland of the Viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus)

The pineal of viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus) is formed by two main cellular populations of pinealocytes and interstitial cells. A connective capsule surrounds the gland sending numerous septa containing blood vessels and nerves. In the specimens collected during summer the pinealocyte displays a defined contour and a clear cytoplasm with abundant ribosomes and numerous cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum. The pinealocytes observed during winter have cytological characteristics of active cells with dense and elongated mitocondria, dense bodies, and a developed Golgi complex. These seasonal glandular changes could be related to the environmental condition and mainly to the summer photoperiod. The presence of abundant nerve terminals in the perivascular spaces suggests a neural control on the blood vessels.