The Avian Pineal Gland

A Model of the Biological Clock

• Author(s): Valér Csernus, Béla Mess,
• Publisher: Akadémiai Kiadó
• Pages: 87
• ISBN_10: 963058140X
  ISBN_13: 9789630581400
  
• Language: en
• Categories: Medical / Endocrinology & Metabolism , Science / Life Sciences / Zoology / Ornithology ,

Description:... It was only in the past few decades that we realized life is basically a coordinated interplay between cyclic biochemical processes in widely different forms and period of times. This recognition greatly altered our understanding on how living organisms function. The Avian Pineal Gland discusses one specific aspect of biological cycles: the mechanism of the circadian melatonin secretion from the chicken pineal gland. The plineal gland plays a key role in controlling circadian and seasonal rhythmic processes in virtually all vertebrate species. Also, the avian pineal gland is an excellent model for studying the mechanism of the circadian processes, since this organ is relatively simple in structure and it possesses all the known features of a fully functioning circadian biological clock.