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. 1990 Aug;87(15):5959–5962. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.15.5959

Light regulates expression of a Fos-related protein in rat suprachiasmatic nuclei.

N Aronin 1, S M Sagar 1, F R Sharp 1, W J Schwartz 1
PMCID: PMC54449  PMID: 2116012

Abstract

Mammalian circadian rhythmicity is endogenously generated by a pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nuclei and precisely entrained to the 24-hr day/night cycle by periodic environmental light cues. We show that light alters the immunoreactive levels of a transcriptional regulatory protein, Fos, in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of albino rats. Photic regulation of Fos immunoreactivity does not occur in other retino-recipient brain areas except for the intergeniculate leaflet, which appears to be involved in mediating some of the complex effects of light on expressed circadian rhythms. Our results point to a promising new functional marker for the cellular effects of light and suggest that the expression of Fos or a related nuclear protein may be part of the mechanism for photic entrainment of the circadian clock to environmental light/dark cycles.

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