Sleep: A Time for DNA Repair

Sleep remains a mystery to science, as it is a state where an organism is vulnerable to potentially deadly forces.  It therefore must be important to physiology and survival.  Prof. Lior Appelbaum and his team have examined the effect of sleep on brain activity using zebrafish embryos.  Chromosomes were colored for visualization, and dynamic movements are imaged for analysis. The results show that when a fish is sleeping, chromosomes in the brain are very active and undergoing repair. The interpretation is that sleep is an essential state where neuronal activity is put on hold why the cells can repair their genetic materials.  Co-hosted by University of Florida graduate student Brady Holmer.