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Director of the Institute of Anatomy II

Prof. Dr. Charlotte von Gall
Institute of Anatomy II
Heinrich-Heine-University
Universitätsstraße 1
40225 Düsseldorf


Research Interest

Our group studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms of synchronization within the mammalian circadian system. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) comprises the endogenous rhythm generator, integrating light information conveyed by the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) and coordinates peripheral oscillators throughout the body. An SCN-intrinsic molecular clockwork drives rhythmic cellular properties and rhythmic output signals. Mice with a defect molecular clockwork show accelerated aging, disrupted metabolic homeostasis, and cognitive deficits.

Using conditional mice with targeted deletions of clock genes we are analysing the role of these transcriptional regulators for (I) hypothalamic regulation of feeding (II) glia-neuron interactions (III) adult neurogenesis and neuroregeneration (IV) synapse-formation and –function.

Further information
Selected Publications
  1. Pfeffer, M., Plenzig, S., Gispert, S., Wada, K., Korf, H.-W., von Gall, C. (2012). Disturbed sleep/wake rhythms and neuronal cell loss in lateral hypothalamus and retina of mice with a spontaneous deletion in the ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 gene. Neurobiol. Aging. 33(2):393-403. PubMed
  2. Unfried, C., Ansari, N., Yasuo, S., Korf, H.-W., von Gall, C. (2009). Impact of melatonin and molecular clockwork components on the expression of thyrotropin beta-chain (Tshb) and the Tsh receptor in the mouse pars tuberalis. Endocrinology 150:4653-4662. PubMed
  3. Pfeffer, M., Müller, C. M., Mordel, J., Meissl, H., Ansari, N., Deller, .T, Korf, H.-W., von Gall, C. (2009). The mammalian molecular clockwork controls rhythmic expression of its own input pathway components. J. Neurosci. 29:6114-6123. PubMed
  4. Ansari, N., Agathagelidis, M., Lee, C., Korf, H.-W., von Gall, C. (2009). Differential maturation of circadian rhythms in clock gene proteins in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the pars tuberalis during mouse ontogeny. Eur. J. Neurosci. 29: 477-489. PubMed
  5. Chen, R., Seo, D., Bell, E., von Gall, C., Lee, C. (2008). Strong resetting of the mammalian clock by constant light followed by constant darkness. J. Neurosci. 28: 11839-11847. PubMed
  6. Von Gall, C., Weaver, D. R. (2008). Loss of responsiveness to melatonin in the aging mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus. Neurobiol. Aging 29: 464-470. PubMed
  7. Jin, X., von Gall, C., Pieschl, R. L., Gribkoff, V. K., Stehle, J. H., Reppert, S. M., Weaver, D. R. (2003). Targeted disruption of the mouse Mel(1b) melatonin receptor. Mol. Cell. Biol. 23:1054-1060. PubMed
  8. Gau, D., Lemberger, T., von Gall, C., Kretz, O., Le Minh, N., Gass, P., Schmid, W., Schibler, U., Korf, H.-W., Schutz, G. (2002). Phosphorylation of CREB Ser142 regulates light-induced phase shifts of the circadian clock. Neuron 34:245-253. PubMed
  9. Von Gall, C., Garabette, M. L., Kell, C. A., Frenzel, S., Dehghani, F., Schumm-Draeger, P. M., Weaver, D. R., Korf, H.-W., Hastings, M. H., Stehle, J. H. (2002). Rhythmic gene expression in pituitary depends on heterologous sensitization by the neurohormone melatonin. Nat. Neurosci. 5:234-238. PubMed
  10. Von Gall, C., Duffield, G., Hastings, M., Kopp, M. D. A., Dehghani, F., Korf, H.-W., Stehle, J. H. (1998). CREB in the mouse SCN: a molecular integrator coding the phase adjusting stimuli of light, glutamate, PACAP and melatonin for clockwork access. J. Neurosci. 18:10389-10397. PubMed
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