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Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

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The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents

Published on: January 24, 2013

Dynamic interactions between coupled oscillators within the hamster circadian pacemaker.

Jennifer A Evans¹, Jeffrey A Elliott², Michael R Gorman¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of California.

Behavioral Neuroscience

|February 10, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers studied how internal body clocks (circadian rhythms) in rodents split and rejoin. The timing of transfer to constant conditions and light exposure influenced how these rhythms fused, revealing phase-dependent interactions between oscillators.

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Area of Science:

Chronobiology
Neuroscience
Mammalian Circadian Rhythms

Background:

The mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus contains multiple interacting oscillators that regulate circadian rhythms.
Understanding these interactions is crucial for comprehending the coordination of behavior and physiology.
Previous methods lacked the ability to rigorously study oscillator properties and their interconnections.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and utilize a novel behavioral assay for disassociating and studying central circadian oscillators.
To analyze the dynamics of activity rhythm fusion in rodents after splitting.
To investigate the influence of transfer phase and lighting conditions on oscillator interactions and fusion patterns.

Main Methods:

Rodents were subjected to 24-hour light:dark:light:dark (LDLD) cycles to induce split activity rhythms.
Animals were transferred to constant dim illumination or complete darkness during specific scotophases.
Fusion dynamics of the split activity components were analyzed, focusing on transfer phase and lighting effects.

Main Results:

Transfer phase significantly influenced activity rhythm fusion, indicating asymmetric interactions between split oscillators.
Both constant dim light and constant dark conditions resulted in similar overall fusion patterns.
Differences in the rejoined state of the circadian system were observed between dim light and dark conditions.

Conclusions:

The study provides insights into the phase-dependent, asymmetric interactions governing mammalian circadian oscillators.
The findings support a model where oscillators influence each other in a manner dependent on their relative phases.
The developed behavioral assay offers a powerful tool for dissecting the formal properties and interactions of central circadian pacemakers.