Stem Cell Regeneration Fluctuates by Time in Fruit Flies

Circadian rhythms in fruit flies have been found to be related to the regeneration of stem cells in the flies.  In an article in Science Daily, researchers have looked at the inside of fruit fly intestinal tracts to find a hotbed of stem cell regeneration.  A rhythm was found in the stem cells that is key to their regeneration process.

These circadian clocks govern daily rhythms through genes that synchronize molecular pathways that promote or repress protein production, influencing a multitude of body functions.

A transcription factor of the circadian rhythm that helps to regulate gene activity is called period.  Scientists discovering the period gene in the intestinal tract of the flies was shocking to some.  This ultimately led to the conclusion that the period gene's presence indicates intestinal healing fluctuates with the time of day in the flies.  Scientists removed the period gene in some flies, and found them to function normally except during arrhythmic bursts of activity throughout the 24-hour day.  They later studied over 400 genes in the fruit flies to find if they are rhythmically expressed in the fly intestines, and over 3% of the entire genome was found to be inactive at certain parts of the day.  Scientists will now look to see if the same circadian rhythms are present in mice, with hopes to eventually use the collected data to help treat cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy.  This is a reference published in Science Daily that describes the function of the circadian rhythm and provides more information on their purpose.