[Circadian biological clocks: molecular self-generating mechanisms which keep the rhythm]. / Orologi biologici circadiani: meccanismi molecolari autorigeneranti che mantengono il ritmo.

Biological circadian clocks are endogenous self-sustaining oscillators, where periodically expressed genes control functions at all levels of biological organization. These mechanisms are detectable from prokaryotes to humans, and their basic molecular components are common in most living organisms. This review focuses on the basic properties of biological circadian clocks and their possible involvement in human diseases.