Peripheral circadian oscillators and their rhythmic regulation

Most of the organisms living on earth show 24 hour (circadian) rhythms that are endogenously controlled by biological clocks. In mammals, these rhythms are generated by the circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. However, recent studies have demonstrated that circadian oscillators can be found in many organs and tissues, and it appears that the circadian oscillators in the periphery are not self-sustained, since, in vitro, the oscillation disappears after a few cycles. Although analysis of the clockwork mechanism indicates that the molecular composition of the clock in the SCN and in the peripheral tissues is very similar, the mechanism responsible for the damping of the circadian oscillation in the periphery is unknown. Recent studies have also indicated that the mammalian circadian system is hierarchically organized in that the SCN (i.e., the master circadian pacemaker) controls the peripheral oscillators in order to coordinate the physiological events in an entire body. The mechanisms by which the SCN controls peripheral oscillators are just starting to be elucidated. The aim of this review is to summarize the most recent findings on functioning of these extra-SCN oscillators and the mechanisms the SCN controls peripheral oscillators.