Regulation of the Mammalian Pineal by Non-rod, Non-cone, Ocular Photoreceptors

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1999-04, Vol.284 (5413), p.505-507
• Main Authors: Lucas, Robert J., Freedman, Melanie S., Muñoz, Marta, José-M. Garcia-Fernández, Foster, Russell G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Clocks - physiology; Biology; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Cone opsins; Cryptochromes; Darkness; Drosophila Proteins; Eye Proteins; Eyes & eyesight; Feedback (Response); Flavoproteins - genetics; Flavoproteins - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Inhibition; Light; Light Signal Transduction; Mammals; Melatonin - metabolism; Messenger RNA; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Mice, Transgenic; Mutation; Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate; Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate - physiology; Photoreceptors; Physiology; Pineal gland; Pineal Gland - metabolism; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Retina; Retina - cytology; Retina - physiology; Retinal cones; Retinal Ganglion Cells - physiology; Retinal Pigments - genetics; Retinal Pigments - physiology; Retinal rods; RNA; Rod opsins; Space life sciences; Transgenes; Vertebrata
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.284.5413.505

In mammals, ocular photoreceptors mediate an acute inhibition of pineal melatonin by light. The effect of rod and cone loss on this response was assessed by combining the rd mutation with a transgenic ablation of cones (cl) to produce mice lacking both photoreceptor classes. Despite the loss of all known retinal photoreceptors, rd/rd cl mice showed normal suppression of pineal melatonin in response to monochromatic light of wavelength 509 nanometers. These data indicate that mammals have additional ocular photoreceptors that they use in the regulation of temporal physiology.