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Light-sensitive pigment in the cells that send signals from the eye to the brain's timing center
Updated
Abstract
Most retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) express the photopigment melanopsin.
- Circadian rhythms in eukaryotic organisms operate on a near-24-hour cycle, influenced primarily by light.
- The retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) transmits light information to the SCN, which is critical for generating these rhythms.
- Identifying the specific retinal photopigment responsible for circadian entrainment has been a challenge.
- Melanopsin expression in RGCs may play a key role in mediating the effects of light on circadian rhythms.
Simplified