Study of the swine pineal gland by means of light microscopy

Abstract

Ten swine pineal glands from Landrace breed at the age of 180 days were collected, 5 males and 5 females. After the collection, the material was fastened in formaline solution at 10% for a period of 48 hours, and soon after it was undergone a routine treatment for inclusion in paraffin and accomplishment of histologic courts that have been red-faced for hematoxylin-eosin and Sírius-Red F3BA. The selected sheets were photographed in fotomicroscopy from the Department of Morphologic Sciences of Universidade Estadual de Maringá (State University of Maringá). The present study aimed to verify the morphology of swine pineal gland by means of light microscopy. The results permit to verify that the swine pineal gland was covered by pia-mater which emits projections into the gland constituting septs of connective tissue. The distribution of the cellular elements in the parenchyma pineal has a heterogeneous way, with scarcity cellular areas and predominance of small bundles of connective fibers and calcarian concrections. The results allow us to conclude that the swine pineal gland structure was characterized by septations of the connective tissue of pia-mater and inside the gland parenchyma calcarian concretions were frequently observed