scholarly journals Pineal Gland Morphology in Relation to Age and Season in Three Canidae Species

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (04) ◽  
pp. 247-254
Author(s):  
Svetlana Kalinina ◽  
Viktor Ilyukha ◽  
Lyudmila Uzenbaeva

Abstract Introduction The aim of the present study was to determine the morphological features of the pineal gland in three closely related Canidae species (raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray, 1834; silver fox, Vulpes vulpes L., 1758; and blue fox, Vulpes lagopus L., 1758) of different ages during the breeding (spring) and nonbreeding (winter) periods. Materials and Methods Histological analysis of the pineal glands of canids was performed. Results The morphological changes in the pineal gland detected in the current study are either age-associated, including increase in the reticular fibers and vascularization in the studied species, as well as increase in the amount of the protruding septae in the blue fox, or seasonally related, including an increase in the number and size of blood vessels. The present work reported two types of pigments: lipofuscin (primarily in the silver fox) and melanin (primarily in the raccoon dog and in the blue fox). The pineal gland in the blue fox is characterized by the ability to form corpora arenacea. Conclusions The present study provides the first insight into the morphological changes of the pineal gland in three closely related Canidae species of different ages during the breeding (spring) and nonbreeding (winter) periods, and showed some species-specific features of gland morphology. The aspects concerning the biogenesis of the calcium concretions and the factors influencing the accumulation of pigments need further investigation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Baishnikova ◽  
Tatiana Ilyina ◽  
Viktor Ilyukha ◽  
Konstantin Tirronen

Vitamins A and E are known as nutrients involved in metabolic processes and facilitating the adaptation of animals. The metabolism of these vitamins is closely related to lipid metabolism, which has seasonal variations in animals inhabiting northern latitudes. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentrations of retinol (vitamin A) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E) in the cold season (October to February) in tissues of Canidae species that have different ecological characteristics: the blue fox (Vulpes syn. Alopex lagopus), silver fox (Vulpes vulpes), their interspecific hybrids (Vulpes×Vulpes), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and grey wolf (Canis lupus). In addition, age-related differences in the levels of these vitamins were determined. Results showed the distribution of retinol and α-tocopherol in the body of the canids was similar, with larger amounts being found in the liver and kidney cortex, which play a regulatory role in the metabolism of these nutrients. The higher retinol level in the liver of wolves and interspecific hybrids of blue fox and silver fox, as compared to the retinol level in the liver of other species, might be species-specific and could also be attributed to dietary differences. The blue fox and raccoon dog both have a higher capacity for α-tocopherol accumulation in the cold season, apparently due to their ability to store substantial fat reserves. Retinol and α-tocopherol levels were generally higher in the tissues of mature animals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 202 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-142
Author(s):  
Hanlu Liu ◽  
Zhipeng Li ◽  
Huazhe Si ◽  
Wei Zhong ◽  
Zhongyuan Fan ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
pp. 34-39
Author(s):  
Светлана Николаевна Калинина ◽  
Виктор Александрович Илюха ◽  
Людмила Борисовна Узенбаева ◽  
Екатерина Петровна Антонова ◽  
Екатерина Сергеевна Брулер ◽  
...  

Цель - проанализировать наличие меланина и оценить частоту встречаемости пигментированных шишковидных желёз (ШЖ) у псовых разных возрастных групп. Материал и методы. Объекты исследования - енотовидная собака (Nyctereutes procyonoides Grey), лисица (Vulpes vulpes L.) и песец (V. Lagopus L.). У неполовозрелых, или ювенильных (6-8 мес), и половозрелых (1,5-3,5 лет) самок животных каждого вида визуально оценивали наличие пигментации ШЖ и подсчитывали доли (%) пигментированных и непигментированных желёз. Число неполовозрелых и взрослых животных каждого вида было следующим: енотовидной собаки (n=4, n=15), лисицы (n=15, n=28) и песца (n=14, n=14 соответственно). Морфологические особенности ШЖ изучали гистологическими методами исследования, срезы окрашивали гематоксилином - эозином, а также по Массону-Фонтана. Результаты. В ШЖ исследованных видов обнаружены скопления пигмента меланина как на периферии железы, так и возле кровеносных сосудов. Визуально зафиксирована большая вариабельность пигментации желёз: от непигментированных до интенсивно пигментированных. На частоту встречаемости пигментированных желёз оказывали влияние возраст и видовая принадлежность. У енотовидных собак пигментированные эпифизы наблюдались только у неполовозрелых особей (25 %), у лисиц - только у взрослых (21,4 %). У песцов они были характерны для обеих возрастных групп, но с возрастом их доля снижалась (с 21,4 до 7,1 %). Выводы. Обнаружена широкая вариабельность степени пигментации ШЖ у псовых. Частота встречаемости пигментированных ШЖ характеризуется видоспецифичностью и зависит от возраста животных. Objective - to study the presence of melanin in the pineal gland (PG) and to assess the frequency of the pigmented glands occurrence in Canidae of different age groups. Material and methods. The objects of the research were raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides Grey), fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) and Arctic fox (V. lagopus L.). In immature (6-8 months) and adult (1,5-3,5 years) females of each species, the presence of the PG pigmentation was visually assessed and the proportion (%) of the pigmented and non-pigmented PG was calculated. The number of immature and adult animals was as follows: raccoon dog - n=4, n=15, fox - n=15, n=28, Arctic fox - n=14, n=14, accordingly. PG morphology was studied by histological methods; the sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and according to Masson-Fontana technique. Results. Clusters of melanin in the PG of studied species were located both on the periphery of the gland and near the blood vessels. The great variability of the PG pigmentation was detected. The age and the species membership affected the frequency of pigmented PGs findings. In raccoon dogs pigmented PGs were observed in immature individuals only (25 %), in foxes - in adults only (21,4 %). In blue foxes pigmented PGs were characteristic of both age groups, but with age their proportions decreased (from 21,4 to 7,1 %). Conclusions. A great variability in the degree of PG pigmentation was demonstrated. The frequency of the pigmented glands occurrence in Canidae is species-specific and depends on the age of the animals.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 641-646
Author(s):  
Svetlana SERGINA ◽  
Irina BAISHNIKOVA ◽  
Viktor ILYUKHA ◽  
Marcin LIS ◽  
Stanislaw LAPINSKI ◽  
...  

2001 ◽  
Vol 56 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Mari Mustonen ◽  
Petteri Nieminen ◽  
Heikki Hyvärinen ◽  
Juha Asikainen

Growth hormone (G H ) promotes growth and endochondral ossification, but it is also important in the response to fasting due to its effects of increasing gluconeogenesis and lipolysis. In this study eleven raccoon dogs and blue foxes were followed for six months and their body mass and GH levels were measured. In November half of the animals of both species were put to a three-week fast. There were no significant differences in the GH levels between the animals of different ages and the subadults and adults both had quite low GH levels in the summer. Fasting had no effect on the GH levels of the raccoon dogs, but the fasting blue foxes had lower GH concentrations than the controls in Nov 16th. The control blue foxes experienced a significant increase in the GH levels in early November and the fasting blue foxes in late November. The GH concentrations of all the raccoon dogs rose in early December. As fasting did not cause an elevation in the GH levels but the concentrations increased with decreasing temperature and shortening daylength, the autumnal GH secretion of these species could be regulated by endogenous seasonal rhythms entrained by exogenous Zeitgebers such as temperature or photoperiod. The autumnal increase of GH levels contributes to the response to fasting as an adaptation to survive the winter months with inadequate nutrition. The raccoon dog which spends the coldest part of the winter in winter sleep seems to be better adapted to a total fast than the actively wintering blue fox.


Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 366 (6464) ◽  
pp. 454-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parthiv Haldipur ◽  
Kimberly A. Aldinger ◽  
Silvia Bernardo ◽  
Mei Deng ◽  
Andrew E. Timms ◽  
...  

We present histological and molecular analyses of the developing human cerebellum from 30 days after conception to 9 months after birth. Differences in developmental patterns between humans and mice include spatiotemporal expansion of both ventricular and rhombic lip primary progenitor zones to include subventricular zones containing basal progenitors. The human rhombic lip persists longer through cerebellar development than in the mouse and undergoes morphological changes to form a progenitor pool in the posterior lobule, which is not seen in other organisms, not even in the nonhuman primate the macaque. Disruptions in human rhombic lip development are associated with posterior cerebellar vermis hypoplasia and Dandy-Walker malformation. The presence of these species-specific neural progenitor populations refines our insight into human cerebellar developmental disorders.


2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-151
Author(s):  
Yongjia Peng ◽  
Zhaoxing Zhang ◽  
Hongqiang Li ◽  
Shuncai Li ◽  
Qiumei Shi ◽  
...  

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