Gland: Pineal

THE PINEAL

Calcification of the pineal is from an appetite form of calcium phosphate that is laid down in a matrix of ground substance secreted by pinealocytes (primordial photoreceptor cells) and has no effect on the pineal. Lining the ventricles (especially the third and fourth) and the central canal of the spinal cord are ependymal cells that are ciliated, which are then modified forming secretory tissues. The most well known is the pineal. The pineal is derived from the roof of the third ventricle and is composed of two types of cells pinealocytes and glial-like cells. The pineal integrates information encoded by light into organized secretions of rhythmic character. It receives its light encoded information from norandrogenic sympathetic nerve terminals regulating melatonin production. The pathway for melatonin production starts at the retina and then proceeds to the supra chiasmic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus via the retina hypophyseal tract. The supra chiasmic nucleus neurons are inhibited by melatonin. Melatonin regulates circadian rhythms thru its effect on the supraoptic nucleus, which has been called the master circadian pacemaker. This is why melatonin can be used for jet lag and seasonal disorders. The SCN also provides input to the paraventricular nucleus providing direct innervations to the cervical sympathetic pre-ganglionic, extending into the upper thoracic to the postganglionic noradrengic, extending into the pineal. Lack of light causes a release of norepinephrine from the postganglionic that act on beta androgenic receptors in the pinealocytes.
Other structures formed by the third ventricle are the:
• Sub commissural organ-its cells secrete an insoluble fluid into the lumen of the aqua duct. This secretion forms a cord-like structure extending down to the caudal spinal canal.

• Sub formic organ which contains neurosecretory neurons and receives cholinergic fibers from the midbrain. This contains neuropeptide, angiotensin 2 (converted from angiotension one), which is produced from its precursor angiotensinogen and atriopeptin. The sub formic organ plays an important role in water regulation by regulating and controlling thirst and AVP release.

• Organium vasculosum of the lamina terminalis-this entire structure has its own circulation independent from the other organs. Its nerve ending contains LHRH, somatostatin, and neurophisms, from the median eminence.

The roof of the fourth ventricle forms the area post rema. All of these tissues have large interstitial spaces so large molecules can leave the blood and enter these spaces lacking the blood brain barrier condition.
The pineal weighs between .1-.18 grams. The pineal gland is a true secretory structure, which contains many biologically active substances and is occasionally the site of significant human disease. It is now known from comparative anatomy that the pineal gland is a vestigial remnant of what was the third eye (a light sensitive organ) in lower animals. The superior cervical ganglion via postganglionic sympathetic nerves also influences the pineal. Preganglionic fibers from the superior sympathetic chain found in the lateral column of the spinal cord receive impulses from descending branches of the supra chiasmic nucleus located in the hypothalamus. This nucleus receives nerve input from the retina, called the retina hypothalamic tract, which stimulates pineal secretions. Light dark shifts are the most important rhythm makers of the pineal. The pineal gland, as noted above, is controlled by the amount/types of light that pass through our eyes.
Also crucial to the pineal regulation is noradrenergic fibers that end in the interstitial spaces or on the plasma membrane of the pinealocytes (secretory cells.) All pineal parenchymal cells are regulated by beta-adrenergic receptors. The pineal plays an important role in regulating sexual and reproductive function.

The pineal gland also secretes:

• Biogenic amines such as norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, melatonin and dopamine

• Peptides-LHRH, TRH, somatostatin, vasotocin (oxytocin) and the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA

• Pinealin-insulin-like substance that lowers blood sugar.

• Melatonin-produces sleepiness via increasing the number of alpha waves, a feeling of well-being, elation and increased REM sleep. Lack of melatonin causes sleeplessness and depression. Melatonin is also used to regulate the reproductive axis and the onset of puberty. Melatonin mediates its effects thru G-protein receptors affecting circadian rhythms via inhibition of the SCN of the hypothalamus, which is the circadian pacemaker. Melatonin is also used to treat immune conditions and jet lag as mentioned above.
Melatonin is made from tryptophan and serotonin via the melatonin, producing enzyme hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase, which is also found in the retina and in red blood cells. L-tryptophan is converted into 5-hydroxytryptophan by tryptophan hydroxylase. 5-hydroxytryptophan is converted into serotonin by 5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase.
Serotonin is then converted into n-acetyl serotonin by n-acetyl transferase + acetyl-CoA and n-acetyl serotonin is converted into melatonin. The pineal also produces monoamine oxidase and histamine N-methyl transferase. Melatonin is stimulated thru increased sympathetic activity, hypoglycemia, L-dopa and can be affected by sleep, diet activity, and posture. Melatonin receptors are dense in the SC nucleus, and in the ovaries inhibit gonadotropin secretions as well as GH secretions from the pituitary.
During the evening, melatonin is high and serotonin in the pineal is low.
Serotonin is also released into sympathetic nerve endings, as is dopamine and norepinephrine. The melatonin and similar substances pass either by way of the blood or through the fluid of the third ventricle to the anterior pituitary gland, which controls gonad trophic hormone secretion.
As mentioned above, the pineal works as the body’s antenna. It becomes the media between the body’s internal environment and the external surrounding environment. The pineal is used greatly by deaf or blind people, psychics, and top grade athletes. The pineal works with vision, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. The pineal forms a reticular formation with the posterior pituitary to deal with humidity in the external environment and water balance within the body. It also sets up a reticular formation with the various cranial nerves and influences sex organs and their development, brain maturity, puberty and the onset of menopause. It also retards sexual development by inhibition of the hypothalamic releasing factors.
According to Dr. Brockman, the mineral of the pineal is silica, a mineral that reflects vibration in a hormonal circuit. Silica picks up light and sound waves (vibrations), which then reflect into the eyes/ears triggering a cascade of events mentioned above. It should be noted that pulsating or artificial light influence the pineal and confuses it, resulting in multiple disease states.
The pineal is known as the biological clock of the body and can be affected by traumatic emotional or physical shocks. It can also adjust the pH of your body to external environmental changes. It does this by balancing sodium (which is acid and controlled by the adrenal cortex) and chloride (which is alkaline and is controlled by the adrenal medulla.) It is interesting to note that silica, which is found in sand and sodium, and chloride, found in salt water, have a calming and relaxing effect on the body. Ask anyone who is relaxing at the beach. Sodium and chloride are very responsive to the movement of light and sound in the body.

The following blood chemistries assess the function of the pineal:

1. SODIUM

2. CHLORIDE

Sodium

ELECTROLYTES

The blood electrolytes include sodium, potassium, chloride, and the bicarbonate (HCO3) ion.
Sodium, potassium, and chloride enter the body via ingestion of food.
Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, originates within the body via the metabolic process of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Normally the excretion of sodium, potassium, and water is equal to their intake. The kidneys secrete 80-90 percent of all electrolytes.
Excessive carbon dioxide stimulates the respiratory centers in the brainstem to increase respiration. Therefore, the kidneys and the lungs control sodium, chloride, potassium, water, and carbon dioxide thus exerting control over the acid/alkaline balance in the body.
There are also many other organs, and glands involved in this process, such as the posterior pituitary, adrenals, bowel, and uterus/prostate.
The purpose of electrolytes is to set up a shifting mechanism in the cell membrane via oxidation, allowing increased or decreased permeability to that membrane site.
Sodium, which is found in high concentration outside the cell, has the ability to gather up substances (foods) and bring them to active membrane sites.
Chloride is found in the cell membrane and acts as a “doorman” allowing or disallowing exchanges between the intracellular and extracellular fluids.
Potassium, which is found in high concentrations within cells, oxidizes chloride, and allows sodium, with the food to cross the cell membrane and enter the cell.
Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and hydrogen are all transported via active transport.
SODIUM

Sodium is the most abundant cation (90%) and is the major base in the body. Sodium is either implanted into the food via saliva or is found in the food and has the following functions:

1. Sodium is an alkaline mineral that helps maintain alkaline activity.
Therefore, it helps in acid-alkaline balance, which affect intracellular/extracellular fluid exchange, osmotic pressure, via the sodium/potassium pump and does this in conjunction with antidiuretic hormone and aldosterone.

2. Sodium gathers, and aggregates (polarizes) all substances necessary to be exchanged by semi-permeable membranes. Sodium pumps proteins and sugars into the cell membranes.

3. Sodium also affects the renal tubules for the activity of discharging toxins. It literally aggregates toxins and holds them in suspension.

4. Sodium is controlled by the adrenal cortex and as mentioned above is extremely alkaline and therefore, can cause migration of substances towards its polarity, as well as causing these migrated substances to achieve permeability in an acid antioxidant type media known as a fatty membrane. Sodium is the substance necessary to polarize foods into storage according to that permeable membranes needs.

5. Sodium is also necessary for the transmission of neurological impulses by creating action potentials across neurological membranes.

6. Sodium concentration in and out of cells remains constant due to renal blood flow, carbonic anhydrase enzyme activity, aldosterone, and other steroids controlled by the anterior pituitary, rennin enzyme secretion, hypothalamus, and posterior pituitary control of ADH and vasopressin secretion

Chloride

ELECTROLYTES

The blood electrolytes include sodium, potassium, chloride, and the bicarbonate (HCO3) ion.
Sodium, potassium, and chloride enter the body via ingestion of food.
Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, originates within the body via the metabolic process of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Normally the excretion of sodium, potassium, and water is equal to their intake. The kidneys secrete 80-90 percent of all electrolytes.
Excessive carbon dioxide stimulates the respiratory centers in the brainstem to increase respiration. Therefore, the kidneys and the lungs control sodium, chloride, potassium, water, and carbon dioxide thus exerting control over the acid/alkaline balance in the body.
There are also many other organs, and glands involved in this process, such as the posterior pituitary, adrenals, bowel, and uterus/prostate.
The purpose of electrolytes is to set up a shifting mechanism in the cell membrane via oxidation, allowing increased or decreased permeability to that membrane site.
Sodium, which is found in high concentration outside the cell, has the ability to gather up substances (foods) and bring them to active membrane sites.
Chloride is found in the cell membrane and acts as a “doorman” allowing or disallowing exchanges between the intracellular and extracellular fluids.
Potassium, which is found in high concentrations within cells, oxidizes chloride, and allows sodium, with the food to cross the cell membrane and enter the cell.
Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and hydrogen are all transported via active transport.
CHLORIDE

Chloride a blood electrolyte, and is the major anion and exists in the extracellular spaces as part of the sodium chloride or HCl molecules.
Chloride is used for assessing pH, and electrolyte balance.
From a physiologic perspective, the primary purpose of chloride is to regulate the quantity of carbohydrates and proteins entering into the cells, by inhibiting the exchange of mineral controlled substances across the cell membrane and responds to the oxidative power of potassium.
Chloride the major anion is predominantly found in the extracellular spaces as part of sodium chloride or in the stomach as hydrochloric acid.
Chloride maintains cellular integrity by its influence on acid-base and water balance as well as osmotic pressure. Chloride has a reciprocal power with other anions by decreasing or increasing when there are too many or not enough anions. Aldosterone has a direct effect of reabsorption of sodium and an indirect effect on the increased absorption of chloride.
Chlorides are lost via the GI tract through vomiting or diarrhea and thru the kidneys during times of diuresis.

Chloride also responds to the antioxidant media (cell membrane) by mobilizing, and collecting sodium/food aggregates on a selectively permeable basis. This reaction is under the influence of the adrenal medulla/epinephrine/norepinephrine thereby maintaining energy stores.
Chloride also assists in the production of HCl via the chief cells in the stomach.
In the bowel, chloride is important in preventing the passage of water out of the body. Therefore, chloride literally blocks the flow of water/gas exchange across a cell membrane. This is extremely important in the intestines and bladder.

Chloride plays a vital role during the conduction of a neurological impulse where sodium lines up on the outside of a cell membrane, and potassium on the inside of the cell membrane, during the resting stage or polarized state. In a normal nerve fiber, the permeability of the membrane to potassium is about 100 times that of sodium. The sodium-potassium pump moves three sodium ions to the exterior of the cell, for every two potassium ions that are moved to the interior of the cell, creating a net positive charge to the outside of the cell membrane for each revolution of the sodium-potassium pump. This creates a positively charged external membrane and a negatively charged internal membrane, which sets up a membrane electrical potential. As a neurological impulse is transmitted down the nerve, (which is the excitation phase of an impulse), sodium crosses the cell membrane, and enters into the cell, while potassium moves to the external portion of the membrane.

This then creates the depolarization of the cell membrane, thereby creating a negative charge on the outside, and a positive charge on the inside. The transmission of each impulse along the nerve fiber reduces infinitesimally as the concentration differences of sodium and potassium between the inside and outside of the cell membrane change slightly. In so doing allows the nerve fiber to transmit between 100, 000 to 50, 000, 000 impulses before the concentration differences are rundown.

As the neurological impulse passes, the sodium-potassium ATPase pump re-establishes the sodium-potassium ratio back to normal (repolarization). The pumping activity is dramatically increased approximately eightfold to restore the membrane back to the polarized state.
The chloride shift to the inside of the cell membrane during the final stages makes the inside of the cell, even more, negative, which further helps repolarize the cell.
Chloride generally increases and decreases with plasma or serum sodium levels.

CHLORIDE IS HIGH WHEN

General considerations:

¬ Drink plenty of water
¬ Decrease sodium levels
¬ Increase fat-soluble vitamins D, E, K, and A