part of part of capable of capable of glandular secretory epithelial cell endocrine cell pinealocyte This cell type produces and secretes melatonin and forms the pineal parenchyma. Extending from each cell body, which has a spherical, oval or lobulated mucleus, are one or more tortuous basophilic processes, containing parallel microtubules known as synaptic ribbons. These processes end in expanded terminal buds near capillaries or less, frequently, ependymal cells of the pineal recess. The terminal buds contain granular endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and electron-dense cored vesicles, which store monoamines and polypeptide hormones, release of which appears to require sympathetic innervation. ZFA:0009284 FMA:83417 BTO:0001068 neurecto-epithelial cell neural cell melatonin biosynthetic process pineal body