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connectome melanopsin retinal ganglion cells suprachiasmatic nucleus Significance Statement The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the vertebrate brain serves as the central pacemaker regulating circadian rhythm throughout the body and as the principal hub for entraining circadian rhythm with the ambient light/dark cycle.
Highlights Several aspects of vertebrate physiology are regulated by light. Until recently, it was thought that light perception was mediated solely by retinal photoreceptors in mammals (rods, cones, and melanopsin cells), and by retinal and pineal opsin (pinopsin) in birds. An additional opsin, neuropsin (OPN5), sensitive to UV and short-wavelength light, has been detected in multiple species of vertebrates, including birds, rodents, and humans.
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