Developmental Characteristics of Cutaneous Telocytes in Late Embryos of the Silky Fowl

This study investigated the developmental characteristics of cutaneous telocytes (TCs) in late embryos of the silky fowl using histology, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. TCs were identified in the dermis at the 12th, 16th, and 20th days of incubation, showing PDGFRα+ expression throughout and CD34+ expression only on the 20th day. TCs formed homocellular and heterocellular contacts, particularly with melanocytes on the 20th day, and contained intracellular microvesicles, with extracellular microvesicles/exosomes nearby. The findings provide insights into the locations, immunophenotypes, structural characteristics, and developmental relationships of TCs in silky fowl embryos.