The Pineal and the Harderian Glands: Evidence for Mutual Interactions

  • Russel J. Reiter
  • Bruce A. Richardson
Chapter

Abstract

The pineal gland and the Harderian glands have a number of biochemical and physiological features which are similar. Both organs contain melatonin and associated enzymes required for its synthesis (Cardinali and Wurtman 1972; Bubenik et al. 1978; Balemans et al. 1980; Reiter et al. 1981). Additionally, both the Harderian glands (Guerrero et al. 1987) and the pineal gland (Guerrero et al. 1988) contain the 5′-deiodinase enzyme which converts the relatively inactive thyroid hormone, thyroxine, to its active form, triiodothyronine (T3). In both the Harderian and the pineal glands, melatonin and T3 synthesis are rhythmic. Finally, both organs also exhibit day/night rhythms in vasopressin and oxytocin (Gauquelin et al. 1988). Why these organs have these similarities is unknown and, indeed, astonishing considering their widely different embryological derivations, etc. Recently, it has become apparent that there may be a bidirectional physiologic interaction between these organs. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the presumptive interrelationships.

Keywords

Pineal Gland Syrian Hamster Melatonin Level Harderian Gland Pineal Melatonin 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • Russel J. Reiter
    • 1
  • Bruce A. Richardson
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Cellular and Structural BiologyThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioSan AntonioUSA
  2. 2.Department of BiologyThe University of Michigan-FlintFlintUSA

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