Since the 1970s, circadian clocks have been recognized as crucial for regulating biological time in the human body. These internal mechanisms adjust biological processes to a 24-hour cycle, synchronizing cellular functions with daily variations in the environment. Circadian rhythms, controlled by a central clock in the brain that communicates with clocks in peripheral tissues, affect various functions from sleep patterns to metabolism. A team led by Dr. Salvador Aznar Benitah and Dr. Pura Muñoz-Cánoves has shed light on the importance of synchronizing central and peripheral clocks in tissues like muscle and skin to prevent degenerative processes associated with aging.
Two high-impact journal articles present the team’s findings on the coordination between central and peripheral clocks. The work published in Science emphasizes the necessity of synchronizing central and muscle clocks to maintain optimal muscle function and prevent premature aging. By restoring circadian rhythms through time-restricted feeding, the team observed reduced muscle loss and improved motor functions in aging mouse models. Additionally, the study in Cell Stem Cell revealed the importance of the skin peripheral clock in coordinating daily skin physiology by integrating and modifying brain signals to ensure proper skin function.
Dr. Aznar Benitah highlights the significance of synchronizing brain and peripheral circadian clocks for skin and muscle health, with peripheral clocks capable of maintaining basic tissue functions independently. Dr. Muñoz-Cánoves emphasizes the importance of identifying signaling factors involved in this interaction for potential therapeutic applications. These findings suggest that minimal interactions between central and peripheral clocks are necessary to prevent tissue deterioration and aging, with implications for developing therapies for muscular aging and improving physical performance in older age.
The study published in Cell Stem Cell discusses the surprising discovery that the skin circadian clock plays a crucial role in coordinating daily skin physiology. By integrating and sometimes modifying brain signals, the skin peripheral clock ensures proper skin function. The collaboration between researchers from various institutions worldwide, supported by multiple funding sources, has yielded valuable insights into the synchronization between central and peripheral clocks in tissues like muscle and skin, highlighting the importance of maintaining circadian rhythms for tissue health and function. Further research into the signaling factors involved in this coordination may lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches for aging-related degenerative processes.
In conclusion, the team’s work underscores the critical role of central and peripheral circadian clocks in maintaining optimal tissue function and preventing deterioration associated with aging. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying the synchronization between brain and peripheral clocks in tissues like muscle and skin, the study highlights the potential therapeutic applications of targeting signaling factors involved in this interaction. These insights contribute to our understanding of the importance of circadian rhythms in regulating biological time and coordinating physiological processes in the human body, with implications for improving tissue health and function as we age.
