The effects of constant light and constant darkness on the pineal organ of the goldfish, Carassius auratus.

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) were subjected to both long- and short-term (1, 3, 6, and 170 days) constant light or constant darkness to determine the effects of environmental lighting on the morphology of photoreceptor cells in the pineal organ. Morphometric analysis of electron micrographs from each experimental group suggested that the effects of constant darkness are morphologically expressed only after long-term (6 months) exposure. These included an increase in the volume of photoreceptor and phagocytic cells, area of rough endoplasmic reticulum, and volume of mitochondria per photoreceptor cell, and a decrease in the size of individual Golgi bodies. On the other hand, the response to constant light occurred generally within the first 6 days. Under these conditions, there was a reduction in outer-segment volume, but an increase in both the volume of Golgi per photoreceptor cell and size of individual Golgi bodies. Synaptic ribbons in these specimens were longer at every time sampled. The results of this study provide evidence that photoreceptor cell organelles involved in synthesis and secretion, as well as photosensory functions, are influenced by environmental lighting.