Features of the epiphysis structure of experimental animals during immunostimulation

Abstract

I n t r o d u c t i o n . Recently, a large number of diseases associated with an impairment of the neuroendocrineimmune system caused by an increase in psycho-emotional stress and a severe environmental deterioration has been registered. The epiphysis is central to the endocrine and immune systems.

A i m . To study of structural transformations of the epiphysis during immunostimulation.

M a t e r i a l s a n d m e t h o d s . The study was carried out on 60 mature male rats of the reproductive period weighing 240–280 g. Animals of the experimental group (n = 30) were injected with imunofan fivefold on the 1st, 7th, 15th, 30th and 60th day at a dose of 0.7 μg/kg of body weight. Animals of the control group (n = 30) received 0.9% NaCl in an equivalent volume and the same regimen. In animals of both groups, the absolute and relative weight of the epiphysis, its maximal and minimal diameter, volume, as well as the cell ratio, maximal/minimal diameter and volume of pinealocytes, the maximal/minimal diameter and volume of pinealocyte nuclei were determined.

R e s u l t s . Changes in the parameters of the epiphysis were observed on the 15th, 30th, and 60th day the experiment. So, in the experimental group, the maximal and minimal diameter of pinealocytes increased by 3.93, 8.24, 13.15 and 7.04, 9.37, 10.54%, respectively, compared with the same indicators in the control group. Similar changes were noted for the maximal and minimal diameters of cell nuclei as an indicator of functional activity by 4.48, 7.23, 4.45 and 4.05, 7.66 and 10.16%, respectively.

C o n c l u s i o n . The results obtained make it possible to judge the active reaction of the epiphysis of mature rats in response to imunofan-induced immunostimulation.