Abstract:
Circadian rhythms are oscillations following daily periodic cycles and are respon sible for time keeping and timely activation and suppression of bodily functions.
As such they are integrated in every aspect of the organism: its behaviour, health,
and activities. As a result, they are sensitive enough to adapt but, at the same
time, robust enough to not breakdown while functioning. A pipeline of computa tional and formal modelling techniques was enhanced with a novel application of
network analysis to study a particular circadian system, the hepatocyte circadian
oscillators. Study covered their behaviour and functioning with regards to the
feeding regimens and feeding induced entrainment of the system. It was found
that the circadian system was highly robust, and was always able to evolve even
in the direst of circumstances. Based on this robustness, different feeding regimens
were simulated to study the entrainment of the oscillators in response to changes in
the regimens. The simulation results confirmed that among the different regimens
modelled, the regimens consisting of 2–3 meals per day were consistent and pro duced healthy protein expressions and oscillations, which, based on other wet-lab
studies, are linked with reduced ageing, improved health and better longevity.
