title: [The biological clock in mammals: structure and function].
abstract: The mammalian circadian timing system has three principal components: entrainment pathways, pacemakers and efferent pathways that couple the pacemaker to effector systems which exhibit temporal organization for physiological processes and behaviour. Light is the primary circadian Zeitgeber and the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) functions as the major pacemaker in the mammalian circadian timing system. A number of investigators have focused attention on the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) and the geniculohypothalamic tract (GHT) that mediate the effects of nonphotic stimuli on SCN activity and how these pathways interact with photic information being transmitted to the SCN.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Fizjologii Zwierzat, Uniwersytet Jagielloński.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lewandowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*
vernacular_title: Zegar biologiczny u ssaków: struktura i funkcja.