Mouse Measuring the Seasonal Time. (Mice on the Ancient Japanese Clock 'wadokei') (IMAGE)

Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University

Mouse Measuring the Seasonal Time. (Mice on the Ancient Japanese Clock 'wadokei')

Caption

In the ancient Japanese timekeeping system, the length of one hour varied with the seasons (i.e. 24 hours was divided into 6 hours of daylight and 6 hours of night-time. Daylight hours were longer in the summertime and shorter in the winter). Laboratory mice were believed to be non-seasonal animals for a long time. Ono et al. reported that mice transmit seasonal information from the pituitary gland to the hypothalamus by using thyrotropin.

Credit

Takashi Yoshimura, ITbM, Nagoya University

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