Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2025
11:56
In Vitro Bioluminescence Assay to Characterize Circadian Rhythm in Mammary Epithelial Cells
Published on: September 28, 2017
9.8K
Mouse Models in Circadian Rhythm and Melatonin Research
Horst-Werner Korf1, Charlotte von Gall2
1Institute of Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Journal of Pineal Research
|July 5, 2024
Summary
Inbred and transgenic mice are crucial for studying the mammalian circadian system. Only melatonin-proficient mouse strains are suitable for investigating the complex roles of melatonin in the pineal gland, SCN, and PT.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Chronobiology
- Genetics
Background:
- The mammalian circadian and melatoninergic systems are vital for regulating physiological processes.
- Inbred and transgenic mouse strains offer valuable models for studying these systems.
- Key components include the pineal organ, suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), and hypophysial pars tuberalis (PT).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utility of mouse models in understanding the mammalian melatoninergic and circadian system.
- To highlight the roles of the pineal gland, SCN, and PT in melatonin synthesis and action.
- To identify suitable mouse strains for research on circadian rhythms and melatonin signaling.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on inbred and transgenic mouse strains.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms controlling melatonin biosynthesis.
- Examination of melatonin's effects on the SCN and PT.
- Assessment of locomotor activity and seasonal rhythmicity in mouse models.
Main Results:
- Melatonin is synthesized in pinealocytes and acts on MT1 and MT2 receptors in the SCN and PT.
- Melatonin synchronizes circadian rhythms with light, aids re-entrainment, and stabilizes the circadian system.
- Melatonin is essential for PT function and seasonal rhythmicity, driving the PT molecular clockwork.
- Inbred and transgenic mice lacking seasonal reproduction still possess intact PT pathways if melatonin-proficient.
Conclusions:
- Inbred and transgenic mouse strains are indispensable tools for dissecting the mammalian circadian and melatoninergic systems.
- Melatonin plays critical roles in circadian rhythm synchronization, re-entrainment, and seasonal regulation.
- Only melatonin-proficient mouse strains are appropriate for accurate investigation of these systems.
Related Concept Videos
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
4.0K
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...
4.0K
01:19Management of Insomnia
243
The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
243