The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina
In the newborn southern elephant seal the pineal gland is very large, and both pineal and plasma melatonin concentration is elevated. The pineal gland was investigated during the first 24 h, and up to 20 days of age, in elephant seal pups. A primary aim of this investigation was to determine whether...
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ftunivqespace:oai:espace.library.uq.edu.au:UQ:703407 2023-05-15T16:05:05+02:00 The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina Little, Gerald J. Bryden, M. M. 1990-01-01 https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:703407 eng eng Wiley doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.1990.tb00702.x issn:1600-079X issn:0742-3098 brown adipose tissue newborn southern elephant seal thermoregulation thyroid 1310 Endocrinology Journal Article 1990 ftunivqespace https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-079X.1990.tb00702.x 2020-08-06T04:44:44Z In the newborn southern elephant seal the pineal gland is very large, and both pineal and plasma melatonin concentration is elevated. The pineal gland was investigated during the first 24 h, and up to 20 days of age, in elephant seal pups. A primary aim of this investigation was to determine whether there are obvious ultrastructural characteristics of pinealocytes that are exhibiting extraordinarily high levels of activity. Blood and pineal glands were collected from thirty seven pups of known age which were sampled at random from early September to early November (1985) at Macquarie Island. The pineal gland is large (mean weight, 4.71 ± 0.35 gm, range 1–9.3 gm) and actively secreting melatonin at birth. Melatonin concentrations were extremely variable, yet very high in pups during the first 24 h post‐partum. Mean melatonin plasma concentration for pups 0–24 h was 17632.8 ± 5723.8 pmol/l (4090.8 ± 1327.9 pg/ml), ranging from 126 pmol/l (29 pg/ml) to 297000 pmol/l (68904 pg/ml). Electron microscopic examination did not reveal any marked changes in pinealocyte ultrastructure suggestive of increased secretory activity during this period. The large and extremely active pineal gland in newborn southern elephant seal suggests that it is actively involved in thermoregulation. Copyright Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Macquarie Island Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace Journal of Pineal Research 9 2 139 148 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivqespace |
language |
English |
topic |
brown adipose tissue newborn southern elephant seal thermoregulation thyroid 1310 Endocrinology |
spellingShingle |
brown adipose tissue newborn southern elephant seal thermoregulation thyroid 1310 Endocrinology Little, Gerald J. Bryden, M. M. The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina |
topic_facet |
brown adipose tissue newborn southern elephant seal thermoregulation thyroid 1310 Endocrinology |
description |
In the newborn southern elephant seal the pineal gland is very large, and both pineal and plasma melatonin concentration is elevated. The pineal gland was investigated during the first 24 h, and up to 20 days of age, in elephant seal pups. A primary aim of this investigation was to determine whether there are obvious ultrastructural characteristics of pinealocytes that are exhibiting extraordinarily high levels of activity. Blood and pineal glands were collected from thirty seven pups of known age which were sampled at random from early September to early November (1985) at Macquarie Island. The pineal gland is large (mean weight, 4.71 ± 0.35 gm, range 1–9.3 gm) and actively secreting melatonin at birth. Melatonin concentrations were extremely variable, yet very high in pups during the first 24 h post‐partum. Mean melatonin plasma concentration for pups 0–24 h was 17632.8 ± 5723.8 pmol/l (4090.8 ± 1327.9 pg/ml), ranging from 126 pmol/l (29 pg/ml) to 297000 pmol/l (68904 pg/ml). Electron microscopic examination did not reveal any marked changes in pinealocyte ultrastructure suggestive of increased secretory activity during this period. The large and extremely active pineal gland in newborn southern elephant seal suggests that it is actively involved in thermoregulation. Copyright |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Little, Gerald J. Bryden, M. M. |
author_facet |
Little, Gerald J. Bryden, M. M. |
author_sort |
Little, Gerald J. |
title |
The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina |
title_short |
The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina |
title_full |
The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina |
title_fullStr |
The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Pineal Gland in Newborn Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina |
title_sort |
pineal gland in newborn southern elephant seals, mirounga leonina |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
1990 |
url |
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:703407 |
genre |
Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Macquarie Island Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Macquarie Island Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
op_relation |
doi:10.1111/j.1600-079X.1990.tb00702.x issn:1600-079X issn:0742-3098 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-079X.1990.tb00702.x |
container_title |
Journal of Pineal Research |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
139 |
op_container_end_page |
148 |
_version_ |
1766400755966672896 |