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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
09:25
Placing Growth Factor-Coated Beads on Early Stage Chicken Embryos
Published on: October 1, 2007
FGF signaling is required for initiation of feather placode development
Markus Mandler1, Annette Neubüser
1Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Dr Bohr-Gasse 7, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|June 18, 2004
Summary
Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling is crucial for initiating feather development. FGF10 acts as an early dermal signal, essential for feather placode formation in chicken embryos.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Molecular biology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Feather and hair morphogenesis begins with an unknown dermal signal inducing ectodermal placode formation.
- Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling pathways are implicated in various developmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of FGF signaling in the initiation of feather development.
- To identify potential dermal signaling molecules involved in feather placode formation.
Main Methods:
- Overexpression of soluble FGFR1 and FGFR2 in chicken embryonic skin.
- Inhibition of FGF10 using specific antibodies in skin explants.
- Analysis of gene expression for feather development regulators and FGF10.
Main Results:
- Inhibition of FGF signaling led to a complete failure of feather formation before placode development.
- Fgf10 is expressed in the dermis of developing feather primordia.
- FGF10 can induce feather development regulators and its own expression under specific signaling conditions.
Conclusions:
- FGF signaling is essential for the initiation of feather placode development.
- FGF10 is identified as a key early dermal signal in feather morphogenesis.
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