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Gen Comp Endocrinol

Title:		The Harderian gland: Endocrine function and hormonal control
Author(s):		Santillo A; Chieffi Baccari G; Minucci S; Falvo S; Venditti M; Di Matteo L;
Address:		"Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Universita degli Studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi, 43-81100 Caserta, Italy. Electronic address: alessandra.santillo@unicampania.it. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali, Biologiche e Farmaceutiche, Universita degli Studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi, 43-81100 Caserta, Italy. Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sez. Fisiologia Umana e Funzioni Biologiche Integrate, Universita degli Studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, 16-80138 Napoli, Italy"
Journal Title:		Gen Comp Endocrinol
Year:		2020
Volume:		20200715
Issue:
Page Number:		113548 -
DOI:		10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113548
ISSN/ISBN:		1095-6840 (Electronic) 0016-6480 (Linking)
Abstract:		"The Harderian gland (HG) is an exocrine gland located within the eye socket in a variety of tetrapods. During the 1980s and 1990s the HG elicited great interest in the scientific community due to its morphological and functional complexity, and from a phylogenetic point of view. A comparative approach has contributed to a better understanding of its physiology. Whereas the chemical nature of its secretions (mucous, serous or lipids) varies between different groups of tetrapods, the lipids represent the more common component among different species. Indeed, besides being an accessory to lubricate the nictitating membrane, the lipids may have a pheromonal function. Porphyrins and melatonin secretion is a feature of the rodent HG. The porphyrins, being phototransducers, could modulate HG melatonin production. The melatonin synthesis suggests an involvement of the HG in the retinal-pineal axis. Finally, StAR protein and steroidogenic enzyme activities in the rat HG suggests that the gland contributes to steroid hormone synthesis. Over the past twenty years, much has become known on the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) HG, unique among rodents in displaying a remarkable sexual dimorphism concerning the contents of porphyrins and melatonin. Mainly for this reason, the hamster HG has been used as a model to compare, under normal conditions, the physiological oxidative stress between females (strong) and males (moderate). Androgens are responsible for the sexual dimorphism in hamster and they are known to control the HG secretory activity in different species. Furthermore, HG is a target of pituitary, pineal and thyroid hormones. This review offers a comparative panorama of the endocrine activity of the HG as well as the hormonal control of its secretory activity, with a particular emphasis on the sex dimorphic aspects of the hamster HG"
Keywords:		Animals Endocrine System/*physiology Female Harderian Gland/*physiology/ultrastructure Hormones/*metabolism Male Mesocricetus/physiology Phylogeny Sex Characteristics Harderian gland Melatonin Oxidative stress Porphyrins Sexual dimorphism Steroidogenesis;
Notes:		"MedlineSantillo, Alessandra Chieffi Baccari, Gabriella Minucci, Sergio Falvo, Sara Venditti, Massimo Di Matteo, Loredana eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review 2020/07/18 Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2020 Oct 1; 297:113548. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113548. Epub 2020 Jul 15"