Figure 1
Activity patterns and genotypes. A) Double plotted actogram of a wildtype mouse (left panel) and a Per1m/mPer2m/m double-mutant mouse (right panel) during a period of light-dark 12:12 followed by a free running rhythms in continuous dim red light. B) Genotyping example of four animals used in this study. Using the same primer sets, lane 1 and 3 show the lighter PCR products for the Per1 and the Per2 fragments indicating the Per1m/mPer2m/m double-mutant genotype in both mice, lane 2 and 4 show the heavier PCR products for both genes indicating the Per1+/+Per2+/+ genotype in both mice. Molecular weight scales are in kiloDalton.
Figure 2
Individual release patterns of AVP from in vitro SCN slice cultures. Slice cultures were made from wildtype (upper panels) and Per1m/mPer2m/m double-mutant mice (lower panels). Release pattern is shown as a function of external time, extrapolated from time of sacrifice. Right panels show release patterns of mice sacrificed during LD, and left panels show release patterns of mice sacrificed during the first day of DD. All cultures showed significant circadian rhythmicity in AVP release pattern with periods between 18–32 h, between ExT 10–44 h (except one culture from WT mice under LD). Different line types indicate SCN-AVP release of an individual culture. Black/grey bars indicate projected night and day, respectively.
Figure 3
Paraventricular AVP release. Shown is the average spontaneous paraventricular AVP release of 2 SCN cultures made from Per1m/mPer2m/m double-mutant mice (one sacrificed in LD and one in DD). Paraventricular release is different from that of the SCN in both quantity and shape.
Figure 4
Average SCN-AVP release patterns for cultures made from wildtype (upper panels) and Per1m/mPer2m/m double-mutant mice (lower panels). Percent of average release and SEM are plotted in external time, extrapolated from the time of sacrifice. Left panels show release patterns of mice sacrificed during LD, right panels show release patterns of mice sacrificed during the first day of DD. The very bottom right panel shows the profile of randomly selected samples. Asterisks indicate samples with a release level significantly deviating from the average (modified LSD test; P < 0.05). Horizontal dashed lines depict the SEMs. Black/grey bars indicate projected night and day, respectively.