Influence of the estrous cycle on clock gene expression in reproductive tissues: effects of fluctuating ovarian steroid hormone levels.

ABSTRACT: Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior are known to be influenced by the estrous cycle in female rodents. The clock genes responsible for the generation of circadian oscillations are widely expressed both within the central nervous system and peripheral tissues, including those that comprise the reproductive system. To address whether the estrous cycle affects rhythms of clock gene expression in peripheral tissues, we first examined rhythms of clock gene expression (Per1, Per2, Bmal1) in reproductive (uterus, ovary) and non-reproductive (liver) tissues of cycling rats using quantitative real-time PCR (in vivo) and luminescent recording methods to measure circadian rhythms of PER2 expression in tissue explant cultures from cycling PER2::LUCIFERASE (PER2::LUC) knockin mice (ex vivo). W

SUBMITTER: Nakamura TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2835461 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature