TIMEKEEPER (Biological)
Charles François (2004). TIMEKEEPER (Biological), International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3576.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3576 ▶ |
| Object type | Discipline oriented, Methodology or model |
A biological mechanism that ensures the stability of the periodic physiological rhythms .
This is a particular case of J. MILLER's timer .
The biological timekeeper is situated in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a brain structure . It controls for example the circadian rhythms .
J. TAKAHASHI and collegues identified a specific gene situated on chromosome 5 as the biological timekeeper and found it to be active in the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
(Ph. COHEN, 1997, p.16)