Circadian Firing Rhythms in Dissociated Rat SCN Neurons

The Other Link This is the first study to demonstrate that circadian clocks reside within single cells.

Using a multielectrode array, they monitored the electrical activities of circadian clock rhythms and observed individual rhythms from each neuron that persisted for an extended period in culture.

The SCN neurons fire during the day and are silent at night, signaling the circadian time. Figure 4 highlights the main finding that individual neurons exhibit their own circadian rhythms in firing rates, even when isolated in culture. Using a multielectrode array, the study demonstrates autonomous circadian oscillators in single neurons. This independence raises intriguing questions about how the SCN synchronizes these individual rhythms to maintain a cohesive and robust circadian signal in vivo.