Feather arrays are patterned by interacting signalling and cell density waves

PLoS Biology
William HoDenis J Headon

Abstract

Feathers are arranged in a precise pattern in avian skin. They first arise during development in a row along the dorsal midline, with rows of new feather buds added sequentially in a spreading wave. We show that the patterning of feathers relies on coupled fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling together with mesenchymal cell movement, acting in a coordinated reaction-diffusion-taxis system. This periodic patterning system is partly mechanochemical, with mechanical-chemical integration occurring through a positive feedback loop centred on FGF20, which induces cell aggregation, mechanically compressing the epidermis to rapidly intensify FGF20 expression. The travelling wave of feather formation is imposed by expanding expression of Ectodysplasin A (EDA), which initiates the expression of FGF20. The EDA wave spreads across a mesenchymal cell density gradient, triggering pattern formation by lowering the threshold of mesenchymal cells required to begin to form a feather bud. These waves, and the precise arrangement of feather primordia, are lost in the flightless emu and ostrich, though via different developmental routes. The ostrich retains the tract arrangement characteristic of birds in ge...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 9, 2019·Developmental Dynamics : an Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists·Emmanuelle Grall, Patrick Tschopp
Oct 31, 2019·Developmental Dynamics : an Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists·Paige M DrakeTamara A Franz-Odendaal
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Methods Mentioned

BETA
Sections
reverse transcription PCR
transgenic
fluorescence microscopy

Software Mentioned

ZenBlue2012
Matlab
Pro Plus
Image
TrackMate
MatPIV
IMARIS
ImageJ
Fiji

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