Expression and light sensitivity of clock genes Per1 and Per2 and immediate‐early gene c‐fos within the retina of early postnatal Wistar rats

At postnatal day 1, the rat retina shows immediate light sensitivity with c-fos expression induced by light pulses.

• The circadian clock genes Per1 and Per2 are expressed in the newborn rat retina from birth.
• Light pulses trigger the expression of the immediate early gene c-fos in ganglion cells starting at postnatal day 1.
• Initially, c-fos expression is localized to the dorsal part of the retina until postnatal day 5, after which it becomes more widespread.
• Per1 and c-fos expression in the retinal pigment epithelium is responsive to light until postnatal day 3.
• Per2 gene expression does not respond to light until postnatal day 10.
• The patterns of spontaneous and light-induced gene expression in the retina evolve during early postnatal development.

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