Transition between arm, hand occurs thanks to a genetic switch
Thursday, May 19, 2016 - 21:10
in Biology & Nature
During embryonic life, the emergence of body limbs is orchestrated by a family of architect genes, which are themselves regulated by two DNA structures. While the first presides over the construction of the arm, the other takes over for the development of the hand. Geneticists show that the same architect proteins, called HOX13 and acting together, complete the formation of the arm and initiate that of the hand, allowing to connect the two processes.