Genes Controlling the Body’s Internal Clock and How They Regulate Its Activity

The mammalian circadian clock helps synchronize cellular activities with the 24-hour light/dark cycle.

• Circadian clocks are crucial for coordinating physiological processes like eating and sleeping.
• Cells utilize a core set of clock genes to regulate networks of gene activity.
• These clock genes influence gene transcription directly and also recruit proteins that alter chromatin structure.
• The full mechanisms of how cells maintain their circadian clock are still being explored.

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