Biological Rhythms Workshop IB: neurophysiology of SCN pacemaker function.
Pacemakers are functional units capable of generating oscillations that synchronize downstream rhythms. In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is a circadian pacemaker composed of individual neurons that intrinsically express a near 24-hour rhythm in gene expression. Rhythmic gene expression is tightly coupled to a rhythm in spontaneous firing rate via intrinsic daily regulation of potassium current. Recent progress in the field indicates that SCN pacemaking is a specialized property that emerges from intrinsic features of single cells, structural connectivity among cells, and activity dynamics within the SCN. The focus of this chapter is on how Nature built a functional pacemaker from many individual oscillators that is capable of coordinating the daily timing of essential brain and physiological processes.
Kuhlman
S J
SJ
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009482:Neurophysiology; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*
D005136:Eye Proteins; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D015221:Potassium Channels