Chronobiology - MB150P95

• Title: Chronobiology
• Czech title: Chronobiologie
• Guaranteed by: Department of Physiology (31-152)
• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Actual: from 2022
• Semester: summer
• E-Credits: 3
• Examination process: summer s.:oral
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Note: enabled for web enrollment
• Guarantor: prof. PharmDr. Alena Sumová, DSc.
• Teacher(s): prof. PharmDr. Alena Sumová, DSc.
• Incompatibility : MB150P16
• Is incompatible with: MB150P16

Annotation

English

Chronobiology studies temporal rhythmic regulation of biological processes in living organisms, from gene expression to behavior. The biological rhythms may run with a various periods but the most important are circadian, i.e. about one day, rhythms which persist even in a non-periodic environment. Circadian rhythms can be found in most of the organisms known so far, from unicellular prokaryotic to mammals, including humans. Malfunction of the coordination in the timekeeping system impacts negatively adaptation to external environment, regulation of physiological functions and health. The lectures may be of interest mostly for bachelor, magister and doctoral students interested in physiology, zoology, molecular biology and biomedicine.

Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (28.10.2019)

Czech

Chronobiologie studuje časově rytmické regulace biologických procesů v živých organismech od genové exprese až po chování. Biologické rytmy mohou běžet s různými periodami, ale nejdůležitější je cirkadiánní rytmus, který přetrvává i neperiodickém prostředí. Cirkadiánní rytmy mohou být nalezeny ve většině známých organismů, od jednobuněčných prokaryot až po savce, včetně člověka. Dysfunkce v koordinaci časového systému má negativní důsledky pro adaptaci k vnějšímu prostředí a regulaci fyziologických funkcí a zdraví. Přednáška může být zajímavá zejména pro bakalářské, magisterské a doktorské studenty zajímající se o fyziologii, zoologii, molekulární biologii a biomedicínu.

Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (28.10.2019)

Literature

English

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK453184/

Foster RG a Kreitzman L: Circadian Rhythms (A Very Short Introduction) 2017

Refinetti R: Circadian Physiology Third Edition) 2016

Last update: Rubešová Jana, RNDr., Ph.D. (08.06.2022)

Czech

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK453184/

knihovna Biologické sekce - Foster RG a Kreitzman L: Circadian Rhythms (A Very Short Introduction) 2017

knihovna Biologické sekce - pro zaujaté - Refinetti R: Circadian Physiology Third Edition) 2016

Last update: Rubešová Jana, RNDr., Ph.D. (08.06.2022)

Requirements to the exam

English

oral exam/essay

Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (28.10.2019)

Czech

Předmět je ukončen ústní zkouškou.

Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (28.10.2019)

Syllabus

1. Chronobiology as research field, its history and terminology

2. Biological rhythms and their roles in strategies for adaptation and animal survival in external environment

3. Circadian pacemaker and its formal properties

4. Circadian systems and their evolution across species - from procaryotes to humans

5. Genetics of the circadian clocks

6. Mechanisms of circadian regulations of cellular functions

7. Mechanisms of circadian regulations of physiological functions

8. Synchronization of the circadian clock with external environment

9. Melatonin, its role in the body. Melatonin and chronotherapy.

10. Photoperiod and photoperiodic regulation of physiological functions

11. Circadian regulation of sleep, learning and migration

12. Changes of the circadian clocks during the time and significance of the regulation for health

Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (04.05.2017)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

• understand the historical circumstances that led to the discovery of the circadian clock
• distinguish rhythmicity in biological processes based on their period and significance for living organisms, including factors that led to the evolution of these rhythms
• describe the basic properties that determine the circadian clock and its role in organisms
• illustrate the complexity of the circadian system and its evolution across vertebrates
• compare the molecular basis of cellular clock mechanisms among eukaryotic species and the consequences of genetic mutations for clock function
• interpret the principles by which the circadian clock drives rhythms from the cellular to the whole-body level, including the roles of hormonal regulation and feeding
• understand the mechanism by which the circadian clock can serve as a daily clock and calendar in the body, and how the photoperiodic signal is translated into adaptive responses needed for survival in natural conditions
• explain how the circadian clock develops during ontogenesis and how its changes in the elderly affect its function
• summarize the circadian clock as an integrator of higher brain functions, including sleep, cognition, memory, and other processes

Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (12.01.2026)