Melatonin Receptors (IMAGE)

University of Southern California

Melatonin Receptors

Caption

The sleep-promoting hormone melatonin (shown as a constellation in the night sky) is synthesized from serotonin (shown as a kite) during night time, and both of these archaic molecules predate animal evolution. High melatonin levels at night permit it to establish its sleep-promoting properties by acting through high affinity receptors, depicted in the right side of the image composition.

Credit

Illustration by Yekaterina Kadyshevskaya, Bridge Institute at USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience.

Usage Restrictions

Credit Yekaterina Kadyshevskaya, Bridge Institute at USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience.

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