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<article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.2" xml:lang="en"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">Morphology</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title xml:lang="en">Morphology</journal-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Морфология</trans-title></trans-title-group></journal-title-group><issn publication-format="print">1026-3543</issn><issn publication-format="electronic">2949-2556</issn><publisher><publisher-name xml:lang="en">Eco-Vector</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">694243</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.17816/morph.694243</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="edn">IPKJKY</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="en"><subject>Original Study Articles</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="ru"><subject>Оригинальные исследования</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="article-type"><subject>Research Article</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title xml:lang="en">Effects of different lighting regimens on the ultrastructure of rat pinealocytes</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Влияние различных режимов освещения на ультраструктуру пинеалоцитов у крыс</trans-title></trans-title-group><trans-title-group xml:lang="zh"><trans-title>不同照明模式对大鼠松果体细胞超微结构的影响</trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0011-1114</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">9812-3412</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Anurkina</surname><given-names>Anna I.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Ануркина</surname><given-names>Анна Игоревна</given-names></name><name xml:lang="zh"><surname>Anurkina</surname><given-names>Anna I.</given-names></name></name-alternatives><address><country country="RU">Russian Federation</country></address><email>anyaaai1925@gmail.com</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6251-2560</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">5647-1372</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Kozlova</surname><given-names>Maria A.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Козлова</surname><given-names>Мария Александровна</given-names></name><name xml:lang="zh"><surname>Kozlova</surname><given-names>Maria A.</given-names></name></name-alternatives><address><country country="RU">Russian Federation</country></address><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Cand. Sci. (Biology)</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>канд. биол. наук</p></bio><bio xml:lang="zh"><p>Cand. Sci. (Biology)</p></bio><email>kma-morph@mail.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3253-6729</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">3125-7837</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Chernikov</surname><given-names>Valery P.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Черников</surname><given-names>Валерий Петрович</given-names></name><name xml:lang="zh"><surname>Chernikov</surname><given-names>Valery P.</given-names></name></name-alternatives><address><country country="RU">Russian Federation</country></address><bio xml:lang="en"><p>MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>канд. мед. наук</p></bio><bio xml:lang="zh"><p>MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)</p></bio><email>1200555@mail.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3006-6281</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">4348-6781</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Areshidze</surname><given-names>David A.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Арешидзе</surname><given-names>Давид Александрович</given-names></name><name xml:lang="zh"><surname>Areshidze</surname><given-names>David A.</given-names></name></name-alternatives><address><country country="RU">Russian Federation</country></address><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Cand. Sci. (Biology)</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>канд. биол. наук</p></bio><bio xml:lang="zh"><p>Cand. Sci. (Biology)</p></bio><email>labcelpat@mail.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff1"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">Российский научный центр хирургии им. акад. Б.В. Петровского</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="zh">Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date date-type="preprint" iso-8601-date="2026-04-10" publication-format="electronic"><day>10</day><month>04</month><year>2026</year></pub-date><pub-date date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2026-08-07" publication-format="electronic"><day>07</day><month>08</month><year>2026</year></pub-date><volume>164</volume><issue>3</issue><issue-title xml:lang="en"/><issue-title xml:lang="ru"/><issue-title xml:lang="zh"/><fpage>389</fpage><lpage>403</lpage><history><date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2025-10-27"><day>27</day><month>10</month><year>2025</year></date><date date-type="accepted" iso-8601-date="2025-12-14"><day>14</day><month>12</month><year>2025</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement xml:lang="en">Copyright ©; 2026, Eco-Vector</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="ru">Copyright ©; 2026, Эко-Вектор</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="zh">Copyright ©; 2026,</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2026</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Eco-Vector</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Эко-Вектор</copyright-holder><ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" start_date="2029-08-07"/><license><ali:license_ref xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/">https://eco-vector.com/for_authors.php#07</ali:license_ref></license></permissions><self-uri xlink:href="https://j-morphology.com/1026-3543/article/view/694243">https://j-morphology.com/1026-3543/article/view/694243</self-uri><abstract xml:lang="en"><p><bold>BACKGROUND: </bold>The morphofunctional state of the pinealocytes is closely related to the lighting regimen. Light deprivation is known to lead to increased metabolic activity of these cells and to ultrastructural changes. In contrast, darkness deprivation is associated with decreased pinealocyte activity and reduced numbers of mitochondria and lipid inclusions. Studying the effect of various lighting regimens on the ultrastructure of rat pinealocytes provides deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying pineal gland adaptation to environmental changes and the regulation of circadian rhythms and may be relevant for developing approaches to correcting biorhythm disorders.</p> <p><bold>AIM: </bold>To study the ultrastructure of the pineal gland in Wistar rats under constant light and under a light regimen that models a "one day on, two days off" shift work schedule.</p> <p><bold>METHODS: </bold>The study was conducted on 120 male Wistar rats aged 5 months. The animals were divided into three equal groups (<italic>n</italic> = 40 per group) based on the light regimen: control group was kept under a fixed light/dark (LD) regimen (10 h light / 14 h dark); experimental group I under constant light (LL); and experimental group II under a light regimen simulating a shift work schedule (1 day of LL followed by 2 days of LD). The experiment lasted 21 days; euthanasia for pineal gland harvesting was performed on day 22 at four time points (9:00 AM, 3:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 3:00 AM). Structural and ultrastructural evaluation of pinealocytes was performed on pineal gland sections using light and transmission electron microscopy. Micromorphometric analysis included measuring the size of pinealocytes and their ultrastructural components. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism v8.41 (GraphPad Software, USA).</p> <p><bold>RESULTS: </bold>Constant light leads to vacuolization of pinealocytes, destructive changes in lipid inclusions, the Golgi complex, and the endoplasmic reticulum, the formation of autophagosomes of various sizes, mitochondrial polymorphism, and changes in nuclear structure, including the nuclear envelope. The presence of necrotic cells, perivascular edema, and leukocyte infiltration was also observed. The most pronounced effect of the shift regimen on pinealocytes is changes in mitochondrial ultrastructure, accompanied by relative structural and functional preservation of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex.</p> <p><bold>CONCLUSION:</bold> Thus, both constant light and the "one day on, two days off" shift regimen are associated with pronounced ultrastructural rearrangements in rat pinealocytes. Constant light causes deep disintegration of the pinealocyte ultrastructure, characterized by oxidative stress, suppression of transcriptional and metabolic activity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death. The alternating lighting regimen causes profound disturbances in the nuclear and mitochondrial apparatus of pinealocytes, likely due to desynchronization of circadian rhythms and dysregulated apoptosis.</p></abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="ru"><p><bold>Обоснование. </bold>Морфофункциональное состояние паренхиматозных клеток эпифиза тесно связано с условиями режима освещения. Известно, что световая депривация приводит к росту метаболической активности и ультраструктурным изменениям этих клеток. В то же время, при темновой депривации снижается активность пинеалоцитов, а также уменьшается количество митохондрий и липидных включений в них. Изучение влияния различных режимов освещения на ультраструктуру пинеалоцитов у крыс позволяет глубже понять механизмы адаптации эпифиза к изменениям внешней среды и регуляции циркадных ритмов, а также может иметь значение для разработки подходов к коррекции нарушений биоритмов.</p> <p><bold>Цель исследования </bold>— изучить ультраструктуру эпифиза крыс стока Вистар в условиях постоянного освещения и светового режима, моделирующего сменный график работы «сутки через двое».</p> <p><bold>Методы. </bold>Исследование проведено на 120 самцах крыс стока Вистар возрастом 5 месяцев. Животных разделили на 3 равные группы (<italic>n</italic> = 40 в каждой) в зависимости от светового режима: контрольная группа — крыс содержали при фиксированном режиме освещения (свет/темнота — 10/14 ч); I экспериментальная группа — темновая депривация; II экспериментальная группа — освещение, моделирующее сменный режим работы (1 сутки темновая депривация, 2-е суток фиксированный режим освещения). Каждый эксперимент продолжался 21 сутки; для эвисцерации эпифиза эвтаназию проводили на 22-е сутки в четырёх временных точках (9:00 ч, 15:00 ч, 21:00 ч, 3:00 ч). Структурную и ультраструктурную оценку пинеалоцитов выполняли на срезах эпифиза методами световой и трансмиссионной электронной микроскопии. Микроморфометрический анализ включал измерение размеров пинеалоцитов и их ультраструктур. Статистическая обработка результатов проведена в программе GraphPad Prism v8.41 (GraphPad Software, США).</p> <p><bold>Результаты. </bold>Темновая депривация сопровождается вакуолизацией пинеалоцитов, деструктивными изменениями липидных включений, комплекса Гольджи и эндоплазматической сети, а также образованием аутофагосом различных размеров, полиморфностью митохондрий и изменениями в структуре ядра, включая кариолемму. Отмечено присутствие некротизированных клеток, а также развитие периваскулярного отёка и лейкоцитарной инфильтрации. Наиболее выраженным проявлением воздействия сменного режима освещения на пинеалоциты являются изменения в ультраструктуре митохондрий при относительной структурной и функциональной сохранности эндоплазматической сети и комплекса Гольджи.</p> <p><bold>Заключение. </bold>Таким образом, как постоянное освещение, так и сменный режим «сутки через двое» ассоциированы с выраженными ультраструктурными изменениями пинеалоцитов у крыс. Постоянное освещение (темновая депривация) вызывает глубокую дезинтеграцию ультраструктуры пинеалоцитов, сопровождающуюся оксидативным стрессом, подавлением транскрипционной и метаболической активности, митохондриальной дисфункцией и гибелью клеток. Сменный режим освещения приводит к глубоким нарушениям в ядерном и митохондриальном аппаратах пинеалоцитов, что, вероятно, связано с десинхронизацией циркадных ритмов и нарушением регуляции апоптоза.</p></trans-abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="zh"><p><bold>论证。</bold>松果体实质细胞的形态功能状态与光照条件密切相关。已知光照剥夺会增加这些细胞的代谢活性并引起其超微结构改变。相反，黑暗剥夺会降低松果体细胞的活性，并减少其内部的线粒体和脂质包涵体的数量。研究不同光照条件对大鼠松果体细胞超微结构的影响，有助于更深入地了解松果体适应环境变化和调节昼夜节律的机制，该研究对于开发纠正生物节律紊乱的方法也可能具有重要价值。</p> <p><bold>目的。</bold>本研究旨在探讨在持续光照和模拟“一天工作，两天休息”轮班制的光照条件下，Wistar大鼠松果体的超微结构变化。</p> <p><bold>方法。</bold>本研究选取120只5月龄雄性Wistar大鼠。根据光照方案，将动物随机分为3组（每组n = 40）：对照组 — — 大鼠置于固定光照方案（光照/黑暗 = 10/14小时）下；实验组I — — 黑暗剥夺；实验组II — — 模拟轮班工作光照方案（1天黑暗剥夺，2天固定光照）。每个实验持续21天；在第22天，于四个时间点（上午9:00、下午3:00、晚上9:00、凌晨3:00）对大鼠进行安乐死，以取出松果体。使用光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜对松果体切片进行松果体细胞的结构和超微结构评估。微形态计量学分析包括测量松果体细胞的大小及其超微结构。采用GraphPad Prism v8.41软件（GraphPad Software，美国）对数据进行了统计处理。</p> <p><bold>结果。</bold>黑暗剥夺会导致松果体细胞空泡化、脂质包涵体、高尔基体和内质网的破坏性改变，以及大小不一的自噬体的形成、线粒体多形性和核结构（包括核膜）的改变。此外，还观察到坏死细胞的存在，以及血管周围水肿和白细胞浸润的发生。轮班制光照对松果体细胞影响最显著的表现是线粒体超微结构的改变，而内质网和高尔基体的结构和功能相对保持完好。</p> <p><bold>结论。</bold>因此，持续光照和“一天工作，两天休息”的轮班制光照方案均会导致大鼠松果体细胞发生显著的超微结构改变。持续光照（黑暗剥夺）会导致松果体细胞超微结构严重破坏，并伴有氧化应激、转录和代谢活性抑制、线粒体功能障碍以及细胞死亡。轮班制光照会导致松果体细胞核和线粒体装置发生严重紊乱，这可能与昼夜节律不同步和细胞凋亡调控受损有关。</p></trans-abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>pineal gland</kwd><kwd>pinealocyte ultrastructure</kwd><kwd>constant light</kwd><kwd>alternating lighting regimen</kwd><kwd>electron microscopy</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="ru"><kwd>эпифиз</kwd><kwd>ультраструктура пинеалоцитов</kwd><kwd>темновая депривация</kwd><kwd>сменный режим освещения</kwd><kwd>электронная микроскопия</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="zh"><kwd>松果体</kwd><kwd>松果体细胞超微结构</kwd><kwd>黑暗剥夺</kwd><kwd>轮班制光照</kwd><kwd>电子显微镜</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group><award-group><funding-source><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="ru">Правительство Российской Федерации</institution></institution-wrap><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="en">Government of the Russian Federation</institution></institution-wrap><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="zh">Government of the Russian Federation</institution></institution-wrap></funding-source><award-id>124021600054-9</award-id></award-group><funding-statement xml:lang="en">The study was part of State Assignment No. 122030200535-1 of the A.P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, B.V. Petrovsky Russian Research Center of Surgery</funding-statement><funding-statement xml:lang="ru">Исследование выполнено в рамках государственного задания Научно-исследовательского института морфологии человека имени академика А.П. Авцына ФГБНУ «Российский научный центр хирургии имени академика Б.В. Петровского» № 122030200535-1</funding-statement><funding-statement xml:lang="zh">The study was part of State Assignment No. 122030200535-1 of the A.P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, B.V. Petrovsky Russian Research Center of Surgery</funding-statement></funding-group></article-meta></front><body></body><back><ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1.</label><mixed-citation>Calvo J, Boya J. Ultrastructure of the pineal gland in the adult rat. J Anat. 1984;138(Pt 3):405–409.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="B2"><label>2.</label><mixed-citation>Swiętoslawski J. 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