29 citations
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December 2004 in “Developmental biology” In this study, forced expression of the transcription factor cDermo-1 in chicken dermis led to the formation of ectopic feather buds and enhanced feather growth, demonstrating its role in initiating skin appendage development.
3 citations
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March 2025 in “Science Advances” This study found that the unique crest feather formation in Polish chickens is driven by a 195-bp duplication in the HoxC10 gene region, which alters gene expression by modifying the genomic structure, suggesting a mechanism for diverse integumentary appendages in birds.
133 citations
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February 2019 in “PLoS Biology” This research found that feather pattern formation in birds is regulated by a mechanochemical system involving fibroblast growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein signaling, which is altered in the flightless emu and ostrich.
45 citations
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October 2015 in “BMC Genomics” This study identified morphotype-specific gene expression patterns in feathers, enhancing understanding of the molecular and cellular processes involved in feather development and diversification.
18 citations
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May 2023 in “Science Advances” In this study, transiently activating the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway in chickens transformed reticulate scales on the feet into feathers comparable to body feathers, without ongoing treatment, suggesting this pathway affects the diversity of bird skin appendages.