Circadian Expression of Clock Genes in SCNx Rats

描述（由申请人提供）：大部分昼夜节律 实验集中在SCN中的光可调谐振荡器上。 然而，越来越清楚的是，哺乳动物的计时系统涉及 至少第二生物钟，所述馈送可调谐振荡器。它有 最近的研究表明，生物钟基因存在于大脑中的某些区域， 在SCN之外以及在外围中的大脑。此外，这些基因 是以昼夜节律的方式转录的。这些振荡已经在 具有完整SCN的动物或在振荡被抑制的培养组织中的动物。 是由外部同步器引起的这项提案将检验这一假设 这些已知的振荡可以由生物钟驱动， 狮子座。具体地说，我们假设基因表达的节律将 在SCN损伤的大鼠中被夹带到每日膳食中。这会让人联想到 FEO的参与，以及时钟基因表达对膳食的夹带， 在特定组织中的时间将提示 时钟。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The majority of circadian rhythm experimentation focuses on the light entrainable oscillator in the SCN. However, it is becoming increasingly clear the mammalian timing system involves at least a second circadian clock, the feeding entrainable oscillator. It has recently been shown that circadian clock genes are present in regions of the brain outside of the SCN as well as in the periphery. Furthermore, these genes are transcribed in a circadian fashion. These oscillations have been shown in animals with intact SCN or in cultured tissue in which the oscillations were induced by some external synchronizer. This proposal will test the hypothesis that these known oscillations can be driven by a biological clock distinct from the LEO. Specifically, we hypothesize that the rhythm in gene expression will be entrained to daily meals in rats with SCN lesions. This would be suggestive of the involvement of the FEO, and entrainment of clock gene expression to meal time in a particular tissue would be suggestive of the mechanism and locus of the clock.