Circadian rhythm is 24-hour cycle rhythmicity in organisms, which is endogenous, entrained by environmental cues and temperature-compensated. Circadian rhythm is driven by circadian clock, which is present in all the cells and tissues of the body. Small ventral lateral neurons (sLNvs) located in the lateral brain in Drosophila and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in mammals are the central oscillators which regulate all the peripheral clocks present throughout the body. The circadian rhythm is maintained by a conserved transcriptional–translational autoregulatory loop, which generates oscillations in the expression of clock genes. Here, this review focuses on the interconnected feedback loops present in Drosophila and mammals.
Key words: Circadian rhythm, clock genes, SCN, feedback loops, period genes
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