Summary
The parapineal organ of the teleost Salmo gairdneri Richardsonsu1 was investigated with the light and electron microscopes. It is a small cell mass, 0.1–0.3 mm in diameter, containing a narrow lumen and consistently situated to the left of the pineal stalk and dorsal to the left habenular nucleus. It is connected with the habenular nucleus through a conspicuous parapineal tract. The parapineal organ continues to grow at least until the fish reaches sexual maturity and shows no sign of cellular degeneration at the age of two years.
The parapineal tissue consists of supporting cells and nerve cells; the latter give rise to the axons of the parapineal tract. Furthermore, a small number of receptor cells of the type existing in the pineal organ is present. No morphological evidence was obtained to suggest a sensory or secretory function of the parapineal organ.
The existence of the parapineal organ in the adult pike, Esox lucius, L., and of a connection between the pineal tract and the habenular commissure in Salmo gairdneri is briefly reported. The results are discussed in the light of existing literature.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Andres, K. H.: Der Feinbau des Subfornikalorganes vom Hund. Z. Zellforsch. 68, 445–473 (1965).
Ariëns Kappers, J.: Survey of the innervation of the Epiphysis cerebri and the accessory pineal organs of vertebrates. Progr. Brain Res. 10, 87–151 (1965).
—: The sensory innervation of the pineal organ in the lizard, Lacerta viridis, with remarks on its position in the trend of pineal phylogenetic structural and functional evolution. Z. Zellforsch. 81, 581–618 (1967).
Breucker, H., and E. Horstmann: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen am Pinealorgan der Regenbogenforelle (Salmo irideus). Progr. Brain Res. 10, 259–269 (1965).
Collin, J.-P.: Sur l'évolution des photorécepteurs rudimentaires épiphysaires chez la Pie (Pica pica L.). C.R. Soc. Biol. (Paris) 160, 1876–1880 (1966).
—: Structure, nature sécrétoire, dégénérescence partielle des photorécepteurs rudimentaires épiphysaires chez Lacerta viridis (Laurenti). C.R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 264, 647–650 (1967).
Ericsson, J. L. E., A. J. Saladino, and B. F. Trump: Electron microscopic observations of the influence of different fixatives on the appearance of cellular ultrastructure. Z. Zellforsch. 66, 161–181 (1965).
Eycleshymer, A. G., and B. M. Davis: The early development of the epiphysis and paraphysis in Amia. J. comp. Neurol. 7, 45–70 (1897).
Friedrich-Freksa, A.: Entwicklung, Bau und Bedeutung der Parietalgegend bei Teleostiern. Z. wiss. Zool. 141, 52–142 (1932).
Hafeez, M. A., and P. Ford: Histology and histochemistry of the pineal organ in the sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka Walbaum. Canad. J. Zool. 45, 117–126 (1967).
Hill, C.: Development of the epiphysis in Coregonus albus. J. Morph. 5, 503–510 (1891).
—: The epiphysis of teleosts and Amia. J. Morph. 9, 237–268 (1894).
Hoffmann, C. K.: Zur Ontogenie der Knochenfische. Arch. mikr. Anat. 23, 45–108 (1884).
Holmgren, N.: Zur Frage der Epiphysen-Innervation bei Teleostiern. Fol. Neurobiol. 10, 1–15 (1917).
—: Über die Epiphysennerven von Clupea sprattus und harengus. Ark. Zool. 11, 25, 1–5 (1918).
Holmgren, U.: Secretory material in the pineal body as shown by aldehydefuchsin following performic acid oxidation. Stain Technol. 33, 148–149 (1958).
—: On the structure of the pineal area of teleost fishes. Göteborgs Kgl. Vetenskaps-VitterhetsSamhäll. Handl., Ser. B. 8, 3, 5–66 (1959).
—: On the ontogeny of the pineal and parapineal organs in teleost fishes. Progr. Brain Res. 10, 172–182 (1965).
Ladiges, W., u. D. Vogt: Die Süsswasserfische Europas. Hamburg u. Berlin: Paul Parey 1965.
Leonhardt, H.: Bukettförmige Strukturen im Ependym der Regio hypothalamica des III. Ventrikels beim Kaninchen. Zur Neurosekretions- und Rezeptorenfrage. Z. Zellforsch. 88, 297–317 (1968).
Maunsbach, A. B.: The influence of different fixatives and fixation methods. II. Effects of varying osmolality, ionic strength, buffer systems, and fixative concentration of glutaraldehyde solutions. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 15, 283–309 (1966).
Mautner, W.: Studien an der Epiphysis cerebri und am Subcommissuralorgan der Frösche. Mit Lebendbeobachtung des Epiphysenkreislaufs, Totalfärbung des Subcommissuralorgans und Durchtrennung des Reissnerschen Fadens. Z. Zellforsch. 67, 234–270 (1965).
Morita, Y.: Entladungsmuster pinealer Neurone der Regenbogenforelle (Salmo irideus) bei Belichtung des Zwischenhirns. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol. 289, 155–167 (1966).
Nilsson, S. E. G.: Receptor cell outer segment development and ultrastructure of the disk membranes in the retina of the tadpole (Rana pipiens). J. Ultrastruct. Res. 11, 581–620 (1964).
Oksche, A.: Personal communication.
—, u. H. Kirschstein: Zur Frage der Sinneszellen im Pinealorgan der Reptilien. Naturwissenschaften 53, 46 (1966).
—: Die Ultrastruktur der Sinneszellen im Pinealorgan von Phoxinus laevis. Z. Zellforsch. 78, 151–166 (1967).
—: Unterschiedlicher elektronenmikroskopischer Feinbau der Sinneszellen im Parietalauge und im Pinealorgan (Epiphysis cerebri) der Lacertilia. Ein Beitrag zum Epiphysenproblem. Z. Zellforsch. 87, 159–192 (1968).
—, u. M. Vaupel-von Harnack: Vergleichende elektronenmikroskopische Studien am Pinealorgan. Progr. Brain Res. 10, 238–258 (1965).
—: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Frage der Sinneszellen im Pinealorgan der Vögel. Z. Zellforsch. 69, 41–60 (1966).
Rabl-Rückhard, H.: Zur Deutung und Entwickelung des Gehirns der Knochenfische. Arch. Anat. Physiol. 1882, 207–320.
- Das Großhirn der Knochenfische und seine Anhangsgebilde. Arch. Anat. Physiol. 1883, 279–322.
Rüdeberg, C.: Electron microscopical observations on the pineal organ of the teleosts Mugil auratus (Risso) and Uranoscopus scaber (Linné). Pubbl. staz. zool. Napoli 35, 47–60 (1966).
—: A rapid method for staining thin sections of Vestopal W-embedded tissue for light microscopy. Experientia (Basel) 23, 792 (1967).
—: Structure of the pineal organ of the sardine, Sardina pilchardus sardina (Risso), and some further remarks on the pineal organ of Mugil spp. Z. Zellforsch. 84, 219–237 (1968).
- Unpublished observations.
Runnström, J.: Über die Anlage des Parapinealorgans bei Petromyzon. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 3, 283–294 (1925).
Shimizu, N., and T. Kumamoto: A lead tetraacetate-Schiff method for polysaccharides in tissue sections. Stain Technol. 27, 97–106 (1952).
Sprumont, P.: Importance de l'osmolarité des solutions de glutardialdéhyde pour la fixation en microscopie électronique. Mikroskopie 22, 113–121 (1967).
Studnička, F. K.: Die Parietalorgane. In: A. Oppel (ed.), Lehrbuch der vergleichenden mikroskopischen Anatomie der Wirbeltiere, Teil V. Jena: Gustav Fischer 1905.
Terry, R. J.: The morphology of the pineal region in teleosts. J. Morph. 21, 321–358 (1910).
Wood, R. J., and J. H. Luft: The influence of buffer systems on fixation with osmium tetroxide. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 12, 22–45 (1965).
Zamboni, L., and C. de Martno: Personal communication.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Work done with the aid of a research scholarship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Bad Godesberg, Germany. —The electron microscope used in this study was placed at the disposal of Prof. Oksche by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. —I wish to thank Prof. Oksche for the facilities made available at his institute and for his helpful interest in my work.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rüdeberg, C. Structure of the parapineal organ of the adult rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson. Z. Zellforsch. 93, 282–304 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336695
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336695