Perfusion of intercellular spaces in the pars distalis and their variation with time of day.

Microperfusion of the tissue parenchyma of regions of the rat pituitary gland with 1:1 dilutions of India ink revealed a network of fine intercellular spaces or canaliculi throughout the pars distalis. They were demonstrable in animals of all ages from 1-5 months to over 1 year, in both sexes, and at various times during the 24 h light-darkness cycle. However, 24 h rhythms were suggested in the radial perfusion distance (P LESS 0.05) and tissue density (P LESS 0.01) of the perfused canaliculi in adult male rats. The amplitude of the 24 h rhythmicity in these pituitary canaliculi was lower than that shown recently in pineal canaliculi of the same species. Structural regularity and evidence of rhythmic and physiologically correlated changes in the pituitary canaliculi suggest that they relate to natural features rather than being only artifactual, and that analysis of their possible functional significance is appropriate.