从生物进化看褪黑素的功能意义

褪黑素在生物发布极为广泛，从低等原核生物到高５等脊椎动物，乃至植物体内均发现褪黑素。在漫长的生物进化过程中，它作为了种古老多效性的分子而保留至今。生物中门类浩繁，形态、功能千差万别，但体内的褪黑素却有相似的作用：（１）传递光暗信号，使生物的各种内源性节律与环境周期保持同步。（２）有铲清除生物体内的自由基。使机体免受氧化损伤。（３）褪黑素与钙调蛋白结合，调节细胞骨架的机能状态，以执行特定的功能、褪黑

The primary function of melatonin in evolution

Melatonin(MT) is widely distributed over lots of living organisms as different asprokaryotes and vertebrates, even in plants. It is an evolutionary highly conserved molecule existedin body fluid from ancient age to now. In the eaxth, the morpha and function of organisms varyfrom one to another, but the effects of melatonin in all living things are similar: (1) Melatonincan convey light-dark signal and synchronize the internal rhythms to environmental photoperiod.(2) Melatonin is an efficiently free radical scavenger to protect organisms from oxidative damage.(3) By binding to calmodulin melatonin mediate the functional status of cytoskeleton to affect theshape, movement and proliferation of the cell.