	AllExperts > Biology
	Search

About Florence M Rollwagen
Expertise
I can answer questions in biology, microbiology and immunology on the undergraduate or graduate level. I can also address medical and health concerns regarding alternative medicine, autoimmune diseases (lupus, MS) liver disease and intestinal problems.

Experience
I have over 20 years experience in research and teaching at the medical/graduate level, and 5 years teaching college biology and microbiology. My expertise is in microbiology and immunology, specifically the biology of cytokines and soluble immune response modifiers. I also carried out original research in blood substitutes and shock/trauma.

Organizations
American Association of Immunologists (AAI) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Publications
Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of Immunology, Cytokine, Shock, Experimental Hematology

Education/Credentials
BS biology 1966 MS biology 1968 PhD immunology 1979

You are here: Experts > Science > Biology > Biology > circadian rhythm

Biology - circadian rhythm

Expert: Florence M Rollwagen - 7/28/2009

Question
Is a biological day the same as a subjective day?

Answer
Hi Taeko: Thanks for your question.

Circadian rhythms are sleep/wake cycles that are endogenous to a species. The rhythm is linked to the day-night cycle and is reset as the cycle changes.

The freerunning rhythm of many blind people or people with sleep disorders cannot be entrained to a 24 hour cycle and the sleep-wake schedule is shifted daily. I guess that's what you mean by a subjective day.

The biological day is when the sleep-wake cycle matches the day-night cycle.

Is that what you mean?

Here are some links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-running_sleep
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-24-hour_sleep-wake_syndrome

Hope this helps!

FM Rollwagen, PhD

Add to this Answer Ask a Question