Robustness and Plasticity in Biological Rhythms

Abstract

Robustness and plasticity are important characteristics common to a variety of biological systems and have attracted much attention not only from biologists but also from physicists interested in biosystems. Whereas robustness concerns insensitivity to perturbations against external changes, plasticity concerns changeability upon external inputs. How these two properties are compatible with each other is an important question to be addressed. Recently we have uncovered universal reciprocity relationship between the robustness of period and plasticity of phase in biochemical oscillators such as circadian clocks. We review this relationship and discuss its theoretical origin and biological relevance.