Epifiza – razlika između verzija

'''Epifiza''' ili '''pinealna žlezda''' ({{jez-lat-lat|Glandula pinealis}}) je mala [[Endokrini sistem|endokrina žlezda]] u [[mozak|mozgu]], locirana između moždanih hemisfera. Kod čoveka ova žlezda je veličine zrna graška. Epifiza luči [[melatonin]] koji reguliše budnost i spavanje. Kod životinja melotonin je zadužen za funkciju polnog nagona, ponašanje, rast krzna, kamuflažu i zimski san. Glavne ćelije u epifizi koje luče hormon se zovu pinealociti.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Macchi M, Bruce J |title= Human pineal physiology and functional significance of melatonin |journal=Front Neuroendocrinol |volume=25 |issue=3–4 |pages=177–95 |year=2004 |pmid=15589268 |doi=10.1016/j.yfrne.2004.08.001}}</ref><ref name= "Arendt2005">{{cite journal |author=Arendt J, Skene DJ |title=Melatonin as a chronobiotic |journal=Sleep Med Rev |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=25–39 |year=2005 |pmid=15649736 |quote=Exogenous melatonin has acute sleepiness-inducing and temperature-lowering effects during 'biological daytime', and when suitably timed (it is most effective around dusk and dawn) it will shift the phase of the human circadian clock (sleep, endogenous melatonin, core body temperature, cortisol) to earlier (advance phase shift) or later (delay phase shift) times. |doi=10.1016/j.smrv.2004.05.002}}</ref>