INDUCTIVE TISSUE INTERACTIONS IN THE BEAK OF A CHICK EMBRYO

Series of homologous and heterologous recombination experiments were made between the beak and other skin derivatives, by means of a modified chorioallantoic membrane grafting, to investigate inductive tissue interactions involved in the upper beak of a developing embryo and a hatched chick. 6-day beak epidermis, as well as 6-day cephalic skin epidermis, differentiated into typically normal epidermis of the beak, when they were associated with the mesenchyme taken from 6-day upper beak region. These epithelia, when grafted without association with beak mesenchyme, failed to differentiate into the beak epidermis. 6-day beak epidermis differentiated into typical down feathers when combined with 7-day back skin dermis, prospective feathered area. The inductive potency of the beak mesenchyme was not limited in embryonic life, but persisted even after hatching. These findings were discussed in relation to the role of inductive tissue interactions involved in the expression and stabilization of the differentiated characters of the epidermis in both embryos and adults.