Monday 17 September 2012

Fruit Flies Reveal New Evolutionary Link for Studying Human Health: How They Control Body Temperature Through Circadian Rhythm

ScienceDaily (Sep. 13, 2012) — New research reveals that fruit flies and mammals may share a surprising evolutionary link in how they control body temperature through circadian rhythm, unlocking new ways to study the insects as models of human development and disease.

The study posted online Sept. 13 by Current Biology reports that similar to people, Drosophila fruit flies -- a common research tool in life sciences -- have a genetically driven internal clock. This circadian clock prompts the insects to seek out warmer or cooler external temperatures according to the time of the day. Cold-blooded creatures change behavior to alter body temperature, usually by seeking out different external temperatures. But fruit flies are the first cold-blooded species to demonstrate their modification of temperature preference behavior is controlled by a circadian clock.

Continued:
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120913123223.htm

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