A. Expression of clock gene Per1 in the SCN, liver and duodenum of pinealectomized (PINX, dotted) and control (full line) rats. B. Locomotor activity period of PINX (left) and control (right) rats.
A. Expression of clock gene Per1 in the SCN, liver and duodenum of pinealectomized (PINX, dotted) and control (full line) rats. B. Locomotor activity period of PINX (left) and control (right) rats.
Pavel Houdek, Marta Nováková, Lenka Polidarová, Martin Sládek, Alena Sumová. Melatonin is a redundant entraining signal in the rat circadian system. Hormones and Behavior 83 (2016)
To investigate the suggested role of melatonin in proper function of the circadian system, we used a model of long-term melatonin absence (rats after pinealectomy) and analyzed the locomotor activity, feeding behavior, clock gene expression in the pacemaker (SCN) and in peripheral organs (liver, duodenum). The results demonstrated the role of melatonin in maintaining a proper circadian output from the pacemaker.