| First Author | Ruby NF | Year | 2002 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 298 |
| Issue | 5601 | Pages | 2211-3 |
| PubMed ID | 12481140 | Mgi Jnum | J:81502 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2449427 | Doi | 10.1126/science.1076701 |
| Citation | Ruby NF, et al. (2002) Role of melanopsin in circadian responses to light. Science 298(5601):2211-3 |
| abstractText | Melanopsin has been proposed as an important photoreceptive molecule for the mammalian circadian system. Its importance in this role was tested in melanopsin knockout mice. These mice entrained to a light/dark cycle, phase-shifted after a light pulse, and increased circadian period when light intensity increased. Induction of the immediate-early gene c-fos was observed after a nighttime light pulse in both wild-type and knockout mice. However, the magnitude of these behavioral responses in knockout mice was 40% lower than in wild-type mice. Although melanopsin is not essential for the circadian clock to receive photic input, it contributes significantly to the magnitude of photic responses. |
