Summary
Although pinealectomy or blinding resulted in loss of the clarity of the free-running rhythm of locomotor activity and body temperature and reduced the peak level of circulating melatonin rhythms to approximately a half in intact pigeons, neither pinealectomy nor blinding abolished any of these rhythms. However, when pinealectomy and blinding were combined, the rhythms of locomotor activity and body temperature disappeared in prolonged constant dim light, and melatonin concentration was reduced to the minimum level of detection. In order to examine the role of melatonin in the pigeon's circadian system, it was administered either daily or continuously to PX + EX-pigeons in LLdim. Daily administration of melatonin restored circadian rhythms of locomotor activity which entrained to melatonin injections, but continuous administration did not induce any remarkable change of locomotor activity. These results suggest that melatonin synthesized in the pineal body and the eye contributes to circulating melatonin and its rhythmicity is important for the control of circadian rhythms of locomotor activity and body temperature in the pigeon.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- LD :
-
Light-dark
- LLdim :
-
constant dim light
- LLbright :
-
constant bright light
- PX :
-
pinealectomy
- EX :
-
blinding
- SCN :
-
suprachiasmatic nucleus
References
Aschoff J (1965) Circadian rhythms in man. Science 148:1427–1432
Binkley S, Kluth E, Menaker M (1971) Pineal function in sparrows: circadian rhythms and body temperature. Science 174:311–314
Beldhuis HJA, Dittami JP, Gwinner E (1988) Melatonin and the circadian rhythms of feeding and perch-hopping in the European starling, Sturnus vulgaris. J Comp Physiol A 164:7–14
Cassone VM, Menaker M (1984) Is the avian circadian system a neuroendocrine loop? J Exp Zool 232:539–549
Ebihara S, Kawamura H (1981) The role of the pineal organ and the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the control of circadian locomotor rhythms in the Java sparrow, Padda oryzivora. J Comp Physiol 141:207–214
Ebihara S, Uchiyama K, Oshima I (1984) Circadian organization in the pigeon, Columba livia: the role of pineal organ and the eye. J Comp Physiol A 154:59–69
Ebihara S, Oshima I, Yamada H, Goto M, Sato K (1987) Circadian organization in the pigeon. In: Hiroshige T, Honma K (eds) Comparative aspects of circadian clocks. Hokkaido University Press, Sapporo, pp 84–94
Fuchs JL (1983) Effects of pinealectomy and subsequent melatonin implants on activity rhythms in the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). J Comp Physiol 153:413–419
Foá A, Menaker M (1988) Contribution of pineal and retinae to the circadian rhythms of circulating melatonin in pigeons. J Comp Physiol A 164:25–30
Gwinner E, Benzinger I (1978) Synchronization of a circadian rhythm in pinealectomized European starlings by daily injections of melatonin. J Comp Physiol 127:209–213
Halberg F, Engeli M, Hamburger C, Hillman D (1965) Spectral resolution of low-frequency, small-amplitude rhythms in excreted 17-keto-steroids; probable androgen-induced circaseptan desynchronization. Acta Endocrinol, Suppl 103:5–54
Halberg F, Tong YL, Johnson EA (1967) Circadian system phase: an aspect of temporal morphology; procedures and illustrative examples. In: Mayersbach H von (ed) The cellular aspects of biorhythms. Springer, Berlin, pp 20–48
Honma K, Hiroshige T (1978) Internal synchronization among several circadian rhythms in rats under constant light. Am J Physiol 235:R243-R249
Moore-Ede MC, Sulzman FM, Fuller CA (1979) Circadian organization in the squirrel monkey: the internal coupling between oscillators. In: Suda M, Hayashi O, Nakagawa H (eds) Biological rhythms and their central mechanism. Elsevier, New York, pp 405–419
Oshima I, Yamada H, Sato K, Ebihara S (1987) The phase relationship between the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity and circulating melatonin in the pigeon (Columba livia). Gen Comp Endocrinol 67:409–414
Oshima I, Ebihara S (1988) The measurement and analysis of circadian locomotor activity and body temperature rhythms by a computer-based system. Physiol Behav 43:115–119
Oshima I, Yamada H, Sato K, Ebihara S (in press) The role of melatonin in the circadian system of the pigeon, Columba livia. In: Hiroshige T, Honma K (eds) Circadian clocks and ecology. Hokkaido University Press, Sapporo
Pang SF, Chow PH, Wong TM, Tso ECF (1983) Diurnal variations of melatonin and N-acetylserotonin in the tissues of quails (Coturnix sp. pigeons (Columba livia), and chickens (Gallus domesticus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 51:1–7
Simpson SM, Follett BK (1981) Pineal and hypothalamic pacemakers: their role in regulating circadian rhythmicity in Japanese quail. J Comp Physiol 144:381–389
Sokolove PG, Bushell WN (1978) The chi square periodogram: Its utility for analysis of circadian rhythms. J Theor Biol 72:131–160
Takahashi JS, Menaker M (1979) Physiology of avian circadian pacemakers. Fed Proc 38:2583–2588
Takahashi JS, Menaker M (1982) Role of the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the circadian system of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus. J Neurosci 2:815–828
Underwood H, Siopes T (1984) Circadian organization in Japanese quail. J Exp Zool 232:557–566
Underwood H, Goldman BD (1987) Vertebrate circadian and photoperiodic systems: role of the pineal gland and melatonin. J Biol Rhythms 2:279–315
Vakkuri O, Rintamäki H, Leppäluoto J (1985) Presence of immunoreactive melatonin in different tissues of the pigeon (Columba livia). Gen Comp Endocrinol 58:69–75
Yamada H, Oshima I, Sato K, Ebihara S (1988) Loss of the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, food intake, and plasma melatonin concentration induced by constant bright light in the pigeon (Columba livia). J Comp Physiol A 163:459–463
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oshima, I., Yamada, H., Goto, M. et al. Pineal and retinal melatonin is involved in the control of circadian locomotor activity and body temperature rhythms in the pigeon. J Comp Physiol A 166, 217–226 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193466
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193466