ABSTRACT
JI-AE YOON, DONG-HEE HAN, JONG-YUN NOH, MI-HEE KIM, GI HOON SON, KYUNGJIN KIM, CHANG-JU KIM, YOUNGMI KIM PAK, AND SEHYUNG CHO
8.1 INTRODUCTION
Life on this rotating planet is confronted with periodic changes in environmental conditions. Yet, some of the environmental changes, such as environmental illumination, temperature, food/predator availability, are quite predictable throughout a day/night cycle. Thus, virtually all organisms on Earth have successfully evolved endogenous mechanisms that allow organisms to harmonize their behavioral and physiological processes according to time of day. The resulting circadian rhythms are believed to optimize energy utilization, reproduction and survival [1], [2].
