- pinealocyte
- A cell of the pineal body with long processes ending in bulbous expansions. Pinealocytes receive a direct innervation from sympathetic neurons that form recognizable synapses. The club-shaped endings of p. processes terminate in perivascular spaces surrounding capillaries. SYN: chief cell of corpus pineale, parenchymatous cell of corpus pineale. [pineal + G. kytos, cell]
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pin·e·a·lo·cyte 'pin-ē-ə-lə-.sīt n the parenchymatous epithelioid cell of the pineal gland that has prominent nucleoli and long processes ending in bulbous expansions* * *
pin·e·a·lo·cyte (pinґe-ə-lo-sīt″) the principal cell of the pineal body, an epithelioid cell with pale-staining cytoplasm, prominent nucleoli, and large nuclei that may be irregularly infolded or lobulated; cords of these cells make up the body of the pineal body. See also interstitial cells, under cell. Called also chief cell and pineal cell.
Medical dictionary. 2011.