Myeloid bodies (MBs) are distinct lamellar regions of the normally branched tubular smooth endoplasmic reticulum of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. These organelles are present in the retinas of many lower vertebrates. Previous investigations have reported a relationship between outer segment disk shedding and phagocytosis by the RPE, and the formation of MBs. The current morphometric study was undertaken to establish if a temporal relationship existed between MB occurrence and the phagocytosis of shed photoreceptor outer segment tips in the chick retina. We report on the occurrence of phagosomes, MBs, and for the first time, MB precursors (templates) in the RPE over a 24-hr diurnal cycle. Phagosome numbers were observed to be highest within 2 hr following lights on, and again following lights off, while MB precursors were most prevalent at two time points, immediately prior to the times for rod and cone outer segment shedding at lights on and lights off respectively. Traditional MBs of the small (0.06 to 0.239 microns2) and medium (0.24 to 0.99 microns2) variety increased both in size and number from 01:00 hr of a 24 hr time period, with smaller and fewer MBs being present late in the dark part of the diurnal cycle, and larger and more numerous MBs in the later part of the light portion and into the early part of the dark portion of the cycle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)