The effects of castration on the dense-core vesicles and lysosomes of pinelacoytes in male adult mice: a quantitative study

ABSTRACT

The dense-core vesicles and lysosomes of the adult mice pinealocytes has been studied during normal and experimental (castrated) conditions. Twelve male animals were studied and divided into two groups of six animals a control group and a castrated one. In all the specimens the dense-core vesicles and lysosomes were counted in a total area of 2,764.80 µm2 of pineal tissue. In adult mice the pineal gland shows dense clusters of light and dark pinealocytes in a distinct rosette-like arrangement. The perinuclear region and cytoplasmic processes of these cells have a moderate distribution of lysosomes and dense-core vesicles. The castrated animals showed a decrease in the number of lysosomes and an increase in the number of dense-core vesicles. Thus, it appears from the present results that the testicular androgens play an inhibitory function on the secretory activity of pinealocytes.