Getting into rhythm: developmental emergence of circadian clocks and behaviors

Circadian clocks begin to keep time during early development, while behavioral rhythms like sleep-wake emerge much later.

• Molecular circadian rhythms are present early in development.
• Behavioral rhythms, such as sleep-wake cycles, develop significantly later.
• The study focuses on the circadian systems in Drosophila as a model organism.
• Potential mechanisms for communication between central clocks and circadian output sites are examined.
• The emergence of behavioral rhythms is discussed from an evolutionary perspective.

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