Topic: clock genes

Vasopressin (VP) production in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) is influenced by the rhythm of clock genes and the light-dark cycle. The circadian production and release of VP from SCN terminals is one of the core signals via which the biological clock imposes its rhythm on its target structures. It is a critical element in the circadian regulation of corticosterone secretion, reproductive cycle, and metabolism in rodents. All these circadian variables are regulated within very narrow boundaries at a specific time of the day, indicating the need for an elaborate feedback system to inform the

Stress-related psychiatric disorders have been associated with polymorphisms in the gene encoding FK506-binding protein 5(FKBP5), a co-chaperone of the glucocorticoid receptor(GR). Stress response is coordinated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis, through secretion of glucocorticoids(GC). Additionally, the HPA is a site of convergence of the circadian clock and the stress response systems. Physiologically, GCs act as molecular effectors of circadian rhythm that synchronize transcriptional and metabolic activity in peripheral tissues. However, not much is understood about the analo