LeSauter J, Lehman M N, Silver R
Department of Psychology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027, USA.
J Biol Rhythms. 1996 Jun;11(2):163-71. doi: 10.1177/074873049601100208.
Although it is widely accepted that the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus serve as biological pacemakers regulating circadian rhythmicity, a number of studies suggest that some circadian rhythms may be controlled by extra-SCN structures. Transplantation of fetal anterior hypothalamic tissue containing the SCN restores circadian locomotor rhythms in SCN-lesioned hosts. Such transplants, however, contain substantial extra-SCN hypothalamic tissue. In the present study, the authors examined the recovery of circadian locomotor rhythms in animals implanted with small grafts harvested by taking "micropunches" from vibratome-sectioned brain slices. Micropunches were taken from three areas of the hypothalamus known to receive retinal input: the SCN, the subparaventricular zone, and the supraoptic nucleus. The results indicate that transplants restricted to the SCN region are necessary and sufficient for restoration of circadian locomotor activity rhythms and that micropunches of tissues from other sources are ineffective.
虽然人们普遍认为下丘脑的视交叉上核（SCN）作为调节昼夜节律的生物起搏器，但一些研究表明，某些昼夜节律可能由SCN以外的结构控制。移植含有SCN的胎儿下丘脑前部组织可恢复SCN损伤宿主的昼夜运动节律。然而，这种移植包含大量SCN以外的下丘脑组织。在本研究中，作者检查了植入通过从振动切片脑片上进行“微打孔”获取的小移植片的动物的昼夜运动节律恢复情况。微打孔取自已知接受视网膜输入的下丘脑三个区域：SCN、室旁核下区和视上核。结果表明，局限于SCN区域的移植对于恢复昼夜运动活动节律是必要且充分的，而来自其他来源的组织微打孔则无效。
