Development and entrainment of the colonic circadian clock during ontogenesis

Daily profiles of clock genes in the colon show significant modifications from embryonic day 20 through postnatal day 30.

• Circadian clock gene expression in the colon changes significantly during development, reaching an adult-like state around postnatal day 20.
• Maternal circadian phase may influence the development of the colonic clock during the prenatal period.
• Rhythmic maternal care affects the timing of clock gene expression in pups at postnatal days 10 and 20.
• A reversal in colonic clock phase occurs between postnatal days 10 and 20 in the absence of rhythmic signals from the pup's central circadian clock.
• These findings highlight the role of prenatal and postnatal maternal signals in the maturation of the colonic clock.

AI simplified