Berkeley Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Molecules. 2018 Mar 13;23(3):652. doi: 10.3390/molecules23030652.
One of the many functions of melatonin in vertebrates is seasonal reproductive timing. Longer nights in winter correspond to an extended duration of melatonin secretion. The purpose of this review is to discuss melatonin synthesis, receptor subtypes, and function in the context of seasonality across vertebrates. We conclude with Tinbergen's Four Questions to create a comparative framework for future melatonin research in the context of seasonal reproduction.
褪黑素在脊椎动物中的众多功能之一是季节性生殖定时。冬季夜晚较长对应着褪黑素分泌的延长时间。本文旨在讨论褪黑素的合成、受体亚型以及在脊椎动物季节性中的功能。最后，我们用廷伯根的四个问题建立了一个比较框架，为季节性生殖背景下的褪黑素研究提供了未来的研究方向。
