Real-time imaging shows how cellular body clocks change over time and space

Circadian clocks have been localized to discrete sites within the nervous systems of several organisms, including mammals in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

• The SCN contains multiple independent single-cell oscillators that contribute to circadian rhythms.
• New studies allow examination of these oscillators' activities over repeated cycles in tissue slices in vitro.
• Initial data highlight the role of intercellular membrane events in forming a reliable tissue pacemaker.

Simplified