A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain
Abstract Neurogenesis is an active process of creating new neurons in the neurogenic zone. It is influenced by many factors, including the circadian system, which is synchronized by light. Neurogenesis in laboratory rodents peaks at night, and the rodents are nocturnal, contrary to humans that are a...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88957-7 |
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| author | Vladimira Hodova Valentina Maresova Rebecca Radic Lubica Kubikova |
| author_facet | Vladimira Hodova Valentina Maresova Rebecca Radic Lubica Kubikova |
| author_sort | Vladimira Hodova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Neurogenesis is an active process of creating new neurons in the neurogenic zone. It is influenced by many factors, including the circadian system, which is synchronized by light. Neurogenesis in laboratory rodents peaks at night, and the rodents are nocturnal, contrary to humans that are active during the day. Here, we studied whether proliferation and apoptosis exhibit a daily rhythm in the brain of the diurnal songbird zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and whether the cell proliferation peaks during the dark phase of the day, as in rodents. We injected the birds with the cell proliferation marker 5-ethynyl-2´-deoxyuridine (EdU; thymidine analog), quantified the number of dividing cells in the neurogenic ventricular zone (VZ), and measured mRNA expression of clock genes as well as genes indicating cell proliferation or apoptosis. First, we confirmed the daily rhythms of the clock genes. Next we found that proliferation along the whole VZ did not exhibit a daily rhythm. However, proliferation in the central ventral part of the VZ, i.e. “the hot-spot” area, showed a daily rhythm of proliferation. The highest number of newborn cells was detected in the dark phase of the day. The relative expression of the apoptotic genes caspase 3, Bcl-2, and Bax as well as the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) did not show any rhythm. In summary, our results show that cell proliferation in the “hot-spot” region of the VZ in diurnal songbirds shows rhythmic activity over a period of 24 h and that the maximum cell proliferation occurs in the passive phase. This study may have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying the daily regulation of brain cell proliferation in different species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d199ebd2fa214b2a8493d4c62b677363 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d199ebd2fa214b2a8493d4c62b6773632025-02-09T12:35:48ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-88957-7A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brainVladimira Hodova0Valentina Maresova1Rebecca Radic2Lubica Kubikova3Institute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesInstitute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesInstitute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesInstitute of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of SciencesAbstract Neurogenesis is an active process of creating new neurons in the neurogenic zone. It is influenced by many factors, including the circadian system, which is synchronized by light. Neurogenesis in laboratory rodents peaks at night, and the rodents are nocturnal, contrary to humans that are active during the day. Here, we studied whether proliferation and apoptosis exhibit a daily rhythm in the brain of the diurnal songbird zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and whether the cell proliferation peaks during the dark phase of the day, as in rodents. We injected the birds with the cell proliferation marker 5-ethynyl-2´-deoxyuridine (EdU; thymidine analog), quantified the number of dividing cells in the neurogenic ventricular zone (VZ), and measured mRNA expression of clock genes as well as genes indicating cell proliferation or apoptosis. First, we confirmed the daily rhythms of the clock genes. Next we found that proliferation along the whole VZ did not exhibit a daily rhythm. However, proliferation in the central ventral part of the VZ, i.e. “the hot-spot” area, showed a daily rhythm of proliferation. The highest number of newborn cells was detected in the dark phase of the day. The relative expression of the apoptotic genes caspase 3, Bcl-2, and Bax as well as the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) did not show any rhythm. In summary, our results show that cell proliferation in the “hot-spot” region of the VZ in diurnal songbirds shows rhythmic activity over a period of 24 h and that the maximum cell proliferation occurs in the passive phase. This study may have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying the daily regulation of brain cell proliferation in different species.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88957-7Circadian rhythmVentricular zoneEdUClock genesQPCRNeurogenic |
| spellingShingle | Vladimira Hodova Valentina Maresova Rebecca Radic Lubica Kubikova A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain Scientific Reports Circadian rhythm Ventricular zone EdU Clock genes QPCR Neurogenic |
| title | A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain |
| title_full | A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain |
| title_fullStr | A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain |
| title_full_unstemmed | A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain |
| title_short | A daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain |
| title_sort | daily rhythm of cell proliferation in a songbird brain |
| topic | Circadian rhythm Ventricular zone EdU Clock genes QPCR Neurogenic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88957-7 |
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