Retinally perceived light can entrain the pineal melatonin rhythm in Japanese quail

The avian pineal organ contains a circadian oscillator that can drive a daily rhythm of melatonin synthesis. In some avian species the pineal organ may act, via the cyclic release of melatonin, as a pacemaker within a multioscillator circadian system. The routes by which light entrains the pineal melatonin rhythm were investigated in the Japanese quail. A 'patching' protocol was used to expose directly either the eyes or the pineal to a light-dark cycle while the rest of the bird was exposed to constant light. The results show that the pineal melatonin rhythm can be entrained (1) by light perceived directly or (2) by light perceived by the eyes. Furthermore, the pathway by which light entrains the pineal melatonin rhythm includes the optic nerves because transection of the optic nerve eliminates the ability of ocularly perceived light to entrain the pineal melatonin rhythm.