Making chicken feathers
Wednesday, July 19, 2017 - 10:22
in Biology & Nature
Does each cell in the embryo have a genetically predetermined fate, or are cell interactions important? Researchers have, for the first time, linked the two, showing how the tug of war between cells in the developing skin mobilizes a protein that triggers a genetic program to differentiate into a specific cell type, a feather follicle. This could provide tips on how to make more realistic artificial skin, with hairs and sweat glands.