Biological clock a 'tangible' internal clock in brain, reveals study
The circadian clock, also known as the biological or body clock, has been identified as a visible internal clock after scientists discovered the signaling mechanism in brain neurons, according to a new study published in the academic journal Science on Friday. Almost all mammals` physiological functions are ruled by the internal circadian rhythm to adapt to the rotation of day and night, and the coordination of physiology with daily rhythms is regulated by the neuron of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the central pacemaker of the biological clock, said scientists from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Academy of Military Sciences. In contrast to the traditional concept of an invisible biological clock, the scientists found a "tangible hand" of a biological clock in SCN neurons, which is called primary cilia. Each neuron co...