Somatolactin selectively regulates proliferation and morphogenesis of neural-crest derived pigment cells in medaka.

ABSTRACT: Species-specific colors and patterns on animal body surfaces are determined primarily by neural-crest-derived pigment cells in the skin (chromatophores). However, even closely related species display widely differing patterns. These contrasting aspects of chromatophores (i.e., the fixed developmental control within species and extreme diversity among species) seem to be a curious and suitable subject for understanding evolution and diversity of organisms. Here we identify a gene responsible for medaka "color interfere" mutants by positional cloning. These mutants do not show any obvious morphological and physiological defects other than defects in chromatophore proliferation and morphogenesis. The mutation has been identified as an 11-base deletion in somatolactin, which causes truncation

SUBMITTER: Fukamachi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC489991 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature