Pineal function: impact of microarray analysis.
Microarray analysis has provided a new understanding of pineal function by identifying genes that are highly expressed in this tissue relative to other tissues and also by identifying over 600 genes that are expressed on a 24-h schedule. This effort has highlighted surprising similarity to the retina and has provided reason to explore new avenues of study including intracellular signaling, signal transduction, transcriptional cascades, thyroid/retinoic acid hormone signaling, metal biology, RNA splicing, and the role the pineal gland plays in the immune/inflammation response. The new foundation that microarray analysis has provided will broadly support future research on pineal function.
Klein
David C
DC
Section on Neuroendocrinology, Program on Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, NICHD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. kleind@mail.nih.gov
Bailey
Michael J
MJ
Carter
David A
DA
Kim
Jong-so
JS
Shi
Qiong
Q
Ho
Anthony K
AK
Chik
Constance L
CL
Gaildrat
Pascaline
P
Morin
Fabrice
F
Ganguly
Surajit
S
Rath
Martin F
MF
Møller
Morten
M
Sugden
David
D
Rangel
Zoila G
ZG
Munson
Peter J
PJ
Weller
Joan L
JL
Coon
Steven L
SL
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*
D008550:Melatonin