Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of The Circadian Clock In The Intestinal Epithelium During Health, Regeneration, And Tumourigenesis, Kyle Stokes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Earth’s axial rotation subjects its surface to constant periods of light and dark, this is known as photoperiod. Many organisms have adapted their physiology in accordance with this environmental constant by generating 24h rhythms in their physiological functions; these are known as circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are controlled by an endogenous time-keeping mechanism known as the circadian clock. Over 40% of the genome in mice and over 80% of the genome in primates has been shown to have 24h rhythms in transcription. The disruption of circadian rhythms through shiftwork, jetlag, or exposure to light at night is associated with …