Biological clock: Difference between revisions
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A '''biological clock''' is a physiological mechanism which regulates the timing of any biological process or activity.<ref> Alcock, John. 2005. Animal Behavior. Sinauer Associates. ISBN:0-87893-005-1</ref> The biological clock is not a single cell, neuron or collection of neural cells. Neither is it a result of activity of a single gene. Instead, several mechanisms have been identified in various animal groups. Often the biological clock refers to a cellular oscillator in vertebrates, residing mostly in the subprachiasmatic nucleus (in mammals), controlling the diurnal (or day-night) cycle of animal activity, wakefulness, hormonal cycles ets. Other, long terms neural oscillators control the reproductive cycle, whose lenght varies a lot between species. Most biological clocks are regulated by light in some manner, either by means of phase locking to the light-dark cycle (as in the diurnal oscillator) or some other regular change (seasonal, lunar). Otherwise, i.e. colloquially, a ''biological clock'' generally refers to the onset of [[menopause]] and associated loss of [[reproduction|reproductive]] capabilities in female humans. | A '''biological clock''' is a physiological mechanism which regulates the timing of any biological process or activity.<ref> Alcock, John. 2005. Animal Behavior. Sinauer Associates. ISBN:0-87893-005-1</ref> The biological clock is not a single cell, neuron or collection of neural cells. Neither is it a result of activity of a single gene. Instead, several mechanisms have been identified in various animal groups. Often the biological clock refers to a cellular oscillator in vertebrates, residing mostly in the subprachiasmatic nucleus (in mammals), controlling the diurnal (or day-night) cycle of animal activity, wakefulness, hormonal cycles ets. Other, long terms neural oscillators control the reproductive cycle, whose lenght varies a lot between species. Most biological clocks are regulated by light in some manner, either by means of phase locking to the light-dark cycle (as in the diurnal oscillator) or some other regular change (seasonal, lunar). Otherwise, i.e. colloquially, a ''biological clock'' generally refers to the onset of [[menopause]] and associated loss of [[reproduction|reproductive]] capabilities in female humans. | ||
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Revision as of 07:34, 25 September 2007
A biological clock is a physiological mechanism which regulates the timing of any biological process or activity.[1] The biological clock is not a single cell, neuron or collection of neural cells. Neither is it a result of activity of a single gene. Instead, several mechanisms have been identified in various animal groups. Often the biological clock refers to a cellular oscillator in vertebrates, residing mostly in the subprachiasmatic nucleus (in mammals), controlling the diurnal (or day-night) cycle of animal activity, wakefulness, hormonal cycles ets. Other, long terms neural oscillators control the reproductive cycle, whose lenght varies a lot between species. Most biological clocks are regulated by light in some manner, either by means of phase locking to the light-dark cycle (as in the diurnal oscillator) or some other regular change (seasonal, lunar). Otherwise, i.e. colloquially, a biological clock generally refers to the onset of menopause and associated loss of reproductive capabilities in female humans.
References
- ↑ Alcock, John. 2005. Animal Behavior. Sinauer Associates. ISBN:0-87893-005-1