PUBLICATION

The pineal gland in wild-type and two zebrafish mutants with retinal defects

Authors
Allwardt, B.A. and Dowling, J.E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-020605-9
Date
2001
Source
Journal of neurocytology   30(6): 493-501 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Allwardt, Brenda, Dowling, John E.
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Mutation/genetics*
  • Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate/pathology
  • Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate/ultrastructure*
  • Pineal Gland/pathology
  • Pineal Gland/ultrastructure*
  • Retina/pathology
  • Retina/ultrastructure*
  • Retinal Diseases/genetics
  • Retinal Diseases/pathology
  • Zebrafish/anatomy & histology
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/growth & development
PubMed
12037465 Full text @ J. Neurocytol.
Abstract
Light and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the ultrastructural features of the pineal glands of wild-type and two mutant zebrafish strains that have retinal defects. Particular attention was given to the pineal photoreceptors. Photoreceptors in the pineal gland appear quite similar to retinal cone photoreceptors, having many of the same structural characteristics including outer segment disk membranes often confluent with the plasma membrane, calycal processes surrounding the outer segments, and classic connecting cilia. The pineal photoreceptor terminals differ from photoreceptor terminals in the retina in that they have short synaptic ribbons and make dyad synapses which may or may not be invaginated. Pineal photoreceptors in two zebrafish mutants with abnormal retinal photoreceptors were also studied. Pineal photoreceptors in the niezerka (nie) mutant degenerate, as they do in the retina, indicating that pineal and retinal photoreceptors share at least some genes. However, the synaptic terminals of no optokinetic response c (nrc) pineal photoreceptors are normal, suggesting that this mutation is specific to the retina.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping