Retinal pathways influence temporal niche.

ABSTRACT: In mammals, light input from the retina entrains central circadian oscillators located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). The phase of circadian activity rhythms with respect to the external light:dark cycle is reversed in diurnal and nocturnal species, although the phase of SCN rhythms relative to the light cycle remains unchanged. Neural mechanisms downstream from the SCN are therefore believed to determine diurnality or nocturnality. Here, we report a switch from nocturnal to diurnal entrainment of circadian activity rhythms in double-knockout mice lacking the inner-retinal photopigment melanopsin (OPN4) and RPE65, a key protein used in retinal chromophore recycling. These mice retained only a small amount of rod function. The change in entrainment phase of Rpe65(-/-);Opn4(-/-) mice w

SUBMITTER: Doyle SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2529041 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature