Circadian rhythms in rat pineal melatonin  synthesis under constant darkness conditions

LIU Yajing; LU Zhongmin; ZHU Hongyan; TAN Zhonglin; ZHOU Jiangning

doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-2778.2011.01.005

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Circadian rhythms in rat pineal melatonin synthesis under constant darkness conditions

1.
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, and School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
2.
School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
3.
The Seventh Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou 310013, China

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https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.0253-2778.2011.01.005

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Author Bio:
LIU Yajing, female, born in 1978, PhD. Research field: neurodegenerative disease. E-mail: yjl@ustc.edu.cn
Corresponding author: ZHOU Jiangning
Received Date: 23 June 2010
Rev Recd Date: 15 January 2011
Publish Date: 31 January 2011

Abstract Full text PDF

Abstract

Abstract

To investigate whether rat pineal cell is capable of generating a circadian oscillation in melatonin release，the cultured pineal cell in culture medium was collected at 6∶00, 8∶00, 10∶00, 12∶00 and 15∶00 during the day, and at 18∶00, 20∶00, 22∶00, 1∶00 and 4∶00 at night respectively. The melatonin level in culture medium was measured by a direct radioimmunoassay. The complex cosine functions (CCF) statistical analysis indicates that the rat pineal cell melatonin synthesis shows an intrinsic rhythm at 3, 6, 9 day culture under constant dark conditions. However, the intrinsic rhythm disappears at 12 day culture. This result suggests that the rat individual pineal cells can function as a circadian oscillator in vitro.

Abstract

To investigate whether rat pineal cell is capable of generating a circadian oscillation in melatonin release，the cultured pineal cell in culture medium was collected at 6∶00, 8∶00, 10∶00, 12∶00 and 15∶00 during the day, and at 18∶00, 20∶00, 22∶00, 1∶00 and 4∶00 at night respectively. The melatonin level in culture medium was measured by a direct radioimmunoassay. The complex cosine functions (CCF) statistical analysis indicates that the rat pineal cell melatonin synthesis shows an intrinsic rhythm at 3, 6, 9 day culture under constant dark conditions. However, the intrinsic rhythm disappears at 12 day culture. This result suggests that the rat individual pineal cells can function as a circadian oscillator in vitro.