Developmental appearance of light-dark entrainment in the rat.
Previous studies show that the developing circadian system is entrained by a maternal signal during the prenatal and early postnatal period. The present study investigated the developmental onset of retina-mediated, light-dark entrainment. Juvenile rats were exposed to phase-shifts in the light-dark cycle at different ages and the pineal N-acetyltransferase rhythm was monitored on postnatal day 10. The results show that retina-mediated, light-dark entrainment begins by postnatal day 6 and overrides maternal entrainment by postnatal day 8.
M J
MJ
Duncan
M J
MJ
Banister
S M
SM
Reppert
D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D008027:Light; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*
D000123:Acetyltransferases; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase