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Mapping stem cell activities in the feather follicle

Author

Listed:
  • Zhicao Yue

    (University of Southern California
    University of California Los Angeles)

  • Ting-Xin Jiang

    (University of Southern California)

  • Randall Bruce Widelitz

    (University of Southern California)

  • Cheng-Ming Chuong

    (University of Southern California)

Abstract

Stem cells of a feather... Birds can produce feathers in a remarkable array of shapes, sizes and colours, from undifferentiated precursor cells. A mechanism that might help explain how such diversity is achieved has been identified in a study of the flight feathers of chickens. Three types of stem cells are present, and they migrate to specific positions in the feather follicle. It may be this physical rearrangement that dictates the different morphologies and orientations of the fully fledged feather. This type of distribution of stem cells contrasts to that seen in hair follicles, but in other ways the feather stem cells resemble those of the hair follicle, supporting the idea that feathers and hair arose independently from similar structures around 200 million years ago.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhicao Yue & Ting-Xin Jiang & Randall Bruce Widelitz & Cheng-Ming Chuong, 2005. "Mapping stem cell activities in the feather follicle," Nature, Nature, vol. 438(7070), pages 1026-1029, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:438:y:2005:i:7070:d:10.1038_nature04222
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04222
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    Cited by:

    1. Chih-Kuan Chen & Yao-Ming Chang & Ting-Xin Jiang & ZhiCao Yue & Tzu-Yu Liu & Jiayi Lu & Zhou Yu & Jinn-Jy Lin & Trieu-Duc Vu & Tao-Yu Huang & Hans I-Chen Harn & Chen Siang Ng & Ping Wu & Cheng-Ming Ch, 2024. "Conserved regulatory switches for the transition from natal down to juvenile feather in birds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.

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