[Development of the mammalian circadian system].

Abstract

Many behavioral, physiological and molecular processes exhibit diurnal rhythms. Endogenous rhythms with period close to 24 hours are called circadian rhythms. Light entrains circadian rhythms to a 24 period of solar day. Circadian system consists of pacemaker, which is in mammals located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of hypothalamus (SCN), its input and output pathways and peripheral clocks in numerous tissues. The generation of circadian rhytmicity is based on interactive transcription-translational feedback loops in SCN. These feedback loops consist of so called clock genes and their protein products which positively or negatively regulate their own transcription. Studies in rodent embros and neonates demonstrate that individual components of circadian system matures gradually during prenatal and postnatal period Mechanism of light entrainment of the circadian system develops postnatally. During early postnatal period, the developing circadian system is synchronized mainly by maternal cues.