Expression patterns of clock genes in the pancreas of the rat

Introduction: All higher vertebrates have developed mechanisms to measure time and regulate daytime-dependent body functions during evolution. Thus, „biological clocks“ have evolved which function as rhythm generators. Within mammals, the central circadian oscillator is situated in a paired neuronal structure of the hypothalamus, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Since the biological clock generates periods of circa, but not quite exactly 24 hr, the phase needs to be synchronized. The most important synchronizer for SCN-generated rhythms is the daylight. Besides the central circadian oscillator, „second-order c…