PUBLICATION

Imaging of single light-responsive clock cells reveals fluctuating free-running periods

Authors
Carr, A.J., and Whitmore, D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-050303-3
Date
2005
Source
Nature cell biology   7(3): 319-321 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Whitmore, David
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Biological Clocks
  • Cell Separation
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Fibroblasts/metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Light
  • Luciferases/metabolism
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence/methods*
  • Nuclear Proteins/metabolism*
  • Oscillometry
  • Time Factors
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
15738976 Full text @ Nat. Cell Biol.
Abstract
Zebrafish tissues and cell lines contain circadian clocks that respond directly to light. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, we have isolated clonal cell lines that contain the reporter construct, zfperiod4-luciferase. Bioluminescent assays show that oscillations within cell populations are dampened in constant darkness. However, single-cell imaging reveals that individual cells continue to oscillate, but with widely distributed phases and marked stochastic fluctuations in free-running period. Because these cells are directly light responsive, we can easily follow phase shifts to single light pulses. Here we show that light acts to reset desynchronous cellular oscillations to a common phase, as well as stabilize the subsequent free-running period.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping