Abstract
NUMEROUS cytological and histochemical observations indicate a secretory function for the pineal body of higher vertebrates1,2. Physiologically also, the pineal body of the rat satisfies most of the criteria for an endocrine organ3–5. Although anatomical evidence suggests that rat and mouse pineal vascularity is less than in some classical endocrine organs6,7, in view of the relatively high blood flow rate to endocrine structures in general8, it is reasonable to expect the pineal to be similarly well perfused. We have found that the minimum rate of rat pineal blood flow per g exceeds that of most endocrine organs, equals that of the neurohypophysis and is surpassed only by that of the kidney.
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