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Nature 431, 751-752 (14 October 2004) | doi:10.1038/431751a; Published online 13 October 2004

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Circadian rythms: Sunrise and sunset in fly brains

William J. Schwartz1

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Fruitflies can time their morning and evening activities to the day–night cycle. The basic circadian oscillatory mechanism is intracellular, but networks of cells, now being identified, are what make a working clock.

Animals have an internal timekeeping mechanism that precisely regulates 24-hour (circadian) rhythms of body function and behaviour, and synchronizes them to the day–night cycle. A constellation of 'clock' genes lies at the core of this timepiece, and these genes interact in complex intracellular feedback loops to produce oscillations in their own expression1.

  1. William J. Schwartz is in the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA.
    Email: william.schwartz@umassmed.edu

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