Pigmented Cells in the Pineal Gland of Female Viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus): A Histochemical and Ultrastructural Study

Table 2

Variations in the number of pigmented cells and serum hormone levels between nonpregnant and pregnant viscachas.

Parameters	Nonpregnant	Early pregnancy	Mid pregnancy	Late pregnancy
Number of pigmented cells	0.76 ± 0.16	1.73 ± 0.18^a	3.52 ± 0.35^b	2.58 ± 0.12^c
Estradiol (pg/ml)	18 ± 3.19	27.5 ± 2.5	75 ± 2.89^d	24.25 ± 2.17
Progesterone (ng/ml)	0.72 ± 0.11	4.64 ± 0.95^e	53.75 ± 2.39^f	18.61 ± 2.25^g

The values are expressed as mean ± SEM (). Number of pigmented cells: , early pregnancy versus nonpregnant; , mid pregnancy versus nonpregnant and early pregnancy; , late pregnancy versus nonpregnant and early pregnancy. Estradiol: , mid pregnancy versus early pregnancy, late pregnancy, and nonpregnant. Progesterone: , early pregnancy versus nonpregnant, , mid pregnancy versus early pregnancy, late pregnancy, and nonpregnant; , late pregnancy versus early pregnancy and nonpregnant. The significant differences were determined by Kruskal-Wallis test.