Toward understanding the detection mechanism of the gradually changing time-information

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26640021
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Rikuhiro 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命システム研究センター, 上級研究員 (90469924)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 体内時計 / 視交叉上核 / システムズバイオロジー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The environment around the living-organisms exhibits many patterns including daily light/dark cycles. Living-organisms have the ability to utilize the pattern and predict the change to adapt to the environment. The ability to internalize, efficiently represent, and reliably use the various patterned information is one of the most essential properties of living-organisms. In this research project, I focused on the mammalian circadian clock system as a mechanism which detects and internalizes the environmental patterned information, especially on the synchronization machinery of the circadian clock system. I developed a unique perfusion culture system, and comprehensively investigated signaling molecules potentially involved in the synchronization and successfully obtained the fundamental knowledge on the mechanism underlying the circadian clock’s ability to detect the gradual change of environmental time-information.

Free Research Field

システムズバイオロジー