Time is inherent to biological processes. It determines the order of events and the speed at which they take place. However, we still need to refine approaches to measure the course of time in biological systems and understand what controls the pace of development. Here, we argue that the comparison of biological processes across species provides molecular insight into the timekeeping mechanisms in biology. We discuss recent findings and the open questions in the field and highlight the use of in vitro systems as tools to investigate cell-autonomous control as well as the coordination of temporal mechanisms within tissues. Further, we discuss the relevance of studying tempo for tissue transplantation, homeostasis and lifespan.

时间是生物过程所固有的。它决定事件的顺序及其发生的速度。然而，我们仍然需要改进测量生物系统时间进程的方法，并了解控制发育速度的因素。在这里，我们认为跨物种生物过程的比较提供了对生物学计时机制的分子洞察。我们讨论了该领域的最新发现和悬而未决的问题，并强调使用体外系统作为研究细胞自主控制以及组织内时间机制协调的工具。此外，我们还讨论了研究组织移植、体内平衡和寿命的节奏的相关性。