Dual roles of circadian clock proteins in development and adult homeostasis

Circadian clocks coordinate physiology with daily cycles. Loss of circadian components disrupts bodily functions, but the phenotypes differ when disruption occurs during development or adulthood. Here, we compare effects of manipulating mammalian clock proteins across life stages, reviewing roles of BMAL1 and REV-ERBα/β in embryogenesis-skeletal formation, metabolic programming, cardiovascular development-and adulthood-tissue integrity, metabolic adaptation, neuroprotection. We further discuss mechanisms for dual involvement, and implications for stage-specific therapies.