Comprehensive molecular and cellular studies suggest avian scutate scales are secondarily derived from feathers, and more distant from reptilian scales.

ABSTRACT: Amniote skin appendages such as feathers, hairs and scales, provide thermoregulation, physical protection and display different color patterns to attract a mate or frighten an adversary. A long-standing question is whether "reptile scale" and "avian leg scales" are of the same origin. Understanding the relation between avian feathers, avian scales and reptilian scales will enhance our understanding of skin appendage evolution. We compared the molecular and cellular profiles in chicken feather, chicken scales and alligator scales and found that chicken scutate scales are similar to chicken feathers in morphogenesis at the early placode stage. When we compared the expression of the recently identified feather-specific genes and scale-specific genes in these skin appendages, we found that at

SUBMITTER: Wu P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6233204 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature