title: Potency of melatonin in living beings.
abstract: Living beings are surrounded by various changes exhibiting periodical rhythms in environment. The environmental changes are imprinted in organisms in various pattern. The phenomena are believed to match the external signal with organisms in order to increase their survival rate. The signals are categorized into circadian, seasonal, and annual cycles. Among the cycles, the circadian rhythm is regarded as the most important factor because its periodicity is in harmony with the levels of melatonin secreted from pineal gland. Melatonin is produced by the absence of light and its presence displays darkness. Melatonin plays various roles in creatures. Therefore, this review is to introduce the diverse potential ability of melatonin in manifold aspects in living organism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Yong-In University, Yongin 449-714, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Donchan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Choi
keywords: Antioxidant; Circadian rhythm; Immunity.; Melatonin; Reproduction