Gap Junctions in Turing-Type Periodic Feather Pattern Formation

    May 2024 in “ PLoS Biology ”
    Chun-Chih Tseng, Thomas E. Woolley, Ting‐Xin Jiang, Ping Wu, Philip K. Maini, Randall B. Widelitz, Cheng‐Ming Chuong
    TLDR Gap junctions help control feather pattern formation in chickens.
    This study investigates the role of gap junctions (GJs) in Turing-type periodic feather pattern formation using chicken skin as a model. The researchers found that 7 out of 12 GJ isoforms are dynamically expressed during feather development. Disruption of the GJ isoform connexin 30 led to altered feather bud formation, suggesting that GJ-mediated intercellular communication (GJIC) plays a role in pattern propagation. Inhibition of GJIC allowed new feather buds to form in specific spatial patterns, indicating that GJs may facilitate long-distance inhibitory signaling. The study proposes that modulating GJ activity can influence Turing-type pattern formation, supported by computational simulations predicting ectopic bud emergence.
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