The timing clockwork of life.

Mar 9, 2011Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents

The Biological Clock That Controls Timing in Living Things

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Abstract

Circadian rhythms influence human physiology, metabolism, and behavior on a 24-hour cycle.

Daily variations in enzyme and hormone levels impact cell function, division, and growth.
Circadian clocks consist of proteins that create a feedback loop with a cycle of approximately 24 hours.
One or more components of the circadian clock can respond to light, allowing synchronization to local time.
Disruption of the circadian timing system may accelerate cancer growth, while reinforcement could slow it down.

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Many aspects of human physiology, metabolism and behaviour vary over the 24-hour day and can have a major impact on our health and well-being. Circadian rhythms are observed at all levels of cellular organization. There are daily oscillations in the levels of enzymes and hormones that affect the timing of cell function, division, and growth. Recent progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms has been remarkable. In its most basic form, circadian clocks are comprised of a set of proteins that generate a self-sustaining transcriptional-translational feedback loop with a free-running period of about 24 h. One or more of the clock components is acutely sensitive to light, resulting in an oscillator that can be synchronized to local time. The disruption or the reinforcement of the host circadian timing system, respectively, accelerates or slows down cancer growth through modifications of host and tumor circadian clocks.

The timing clockwork of life.

Abstract

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