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Updated: Jan 9, 2026
09:09
Design and Analysis of Temperature Preference Behavior and its Circadian Rhythm in Drosophila
Published on: January 13, 2014
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Low temperature abolishes human cellular circadian rhythm through Hopf bifurcation.
Yaoyao Xiao1, Yuko Sainoo1, Takayuki Nishimura1
1Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
NPJ Systems Biology and Applications
|December 1, 2025
Summary
Cold exposure disrupts human cell circadian rhythms by reducing oscillation amplitude, which is restored upon rewarming. Temperature cycles can enhance rhythm amplitude through resonance, indicating potential evolutionary advantages in maintaining cellular clock stability.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Cellular Physiology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Circadian clocks regulate daily biological processes in humans.
- Low temperatures are known to disrupt circadian rhythms in other organisms.
- The impact of cold on human circadian rhythms is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of cold exposure on human circadian rhythms in cultured cells.
- To explore the relationship between temperature cycles and circadian clock dynamics.
- To model the theoretical underpinnings of these temperature-dependent circadian responses.
Main Methods:
- Utilized cultured human cells to assess circadian rhythm disruption.
- Applied cold exposure and rewarming protocols to observe changes in oscillation amplitude.
- Investigated 24-hour temperature cycles and their effect on circadian rhythm resonance.
- Employed mathematical modeling to analyze circadian clock dynamics and Hopf bifurcation.
Main Results:
- Cold exposure abolished circadian rhythm in cultured human cells by diminishing oscillation amplitude.
- Rewarming restored the circadian rhythm's oscillation amplitude.
- Circadian rhythm amplitude was enhanced by 24-hour temperature cycles through resonance.
- Hopf bifurcation dynamics were observed and confirmed by a mathematical model.
- Human hair follicle cells showed less sensitivity to temperature changes.
Conclusions:
- Cold exposure significantly impacts human cellular circadian rhythms.
- Temperature cycles can influence circadian clock function via resonance.
- Hopf bifurcation provides a theoretical framework for understanding these temperature-dependent circadian dynamics.
- Differential temperature sensitivity in cell types like hair follicles may indicate evolutionary adaptations.
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