title: Combining theoretical and experimental approaches to understand the circadian clock.
abstract: This review is intended as a summary of our work carried out as part of the German Research Association (DFG) Center Program on Circadian Rhythms. Over the last six years, our approach to understanding circadian systems combined theoretical and experimental tools, and Gonyaulax and Neurospora have proven ideal for these efforts. Both of these model organisms demonstrate that even simple circadian systems can have multiple light input pathways and more than one rhythm generator. They have both been used to elaborate basic circadian features in conjunction with formal models. The models introduce the "zeitnehmer," i.e., a clock-regulated input pathway, to the conceptual framework of circadian systems, and proposes networks of individual feedbacks as the basis for circadian rhythmicity.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Munich, Germany. martha.merrow@imp.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merrow
authors.forename: Zdravko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dragovic
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Gundela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Kruno
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sveric
authors.forename: Moyra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ricken
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roenneberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000502:physiology; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D008954:Models, Biological; D009491:Neurospora / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology