Melatonin, the major hormone produced by the pineal gland, displays characteristic daily
and seasonal patterns of secretion. These robust and predictable rhythms in circulating …

Nicotine can both activate and desensitize/inactivate nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
(nAChRs). An ongoing controversy in the field is to what extent the behavioral effects of …

The day/night rhythm in melatonin production is a characteristic feature in vertebrate
physiology. This hormonal signal reliably reflects the environmental light conditions and is …

Light stimuli produce graded hyperpolarizations of the photoreceptor plasma membrane and
an associated decrease in a voltagegated calcium channel conductance that mediates …

Pinealocytes regulate circadian rhythm by synthesizing and secreting melatonin. These cells
generate action potentials; however, the contribution of specific ion channels to melatonin …

Though immunomodulation via cholinergic neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh), an
important part of neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) regulatory network, has been well …

Microvesicles in endocrine cells are the morphological and functional equivalent of neuronal
synaptic vesicles. Microvesicles accumulate various neurotransmitters through a transmitter …

Rat pinealocytes, melatonin-secreting endocrine cells, contain peripheral glutaminergic
systems. l-Glutamate is a negative regulator of melatonin synthesis through a metabotropic …

High concentrations of nicotine, as in the saliva of oral tobacco consumers or in smoking
cessation aids, have been shown to sensitize/activate recombinant transient receptor …

The rat pineal gland contains a high density of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
(nAChRs). We characterized the pharmacology of the binding sites and function of these …