Version 1
: Received: 27 April 2024 / Approved: 27 April 2024 / Online: 28 April 2024 (07:55:14 CEST)
How to cite:
Wu, H.; Chuang, T.; Liao, W.; Chi, K.; Cheng, H.; Juan, W. Modification of Keratin Integrations and the Associated Morphogenesis in Frizzling Chicken Feathers. Preprints2024, 2024041808. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1808.v1
Wu, H.; Chuang, T.; Liao, W.; Chi, K.; Cheng, H.; Juan, W. Modification of Keratin Integrations and the Associated Morphogenesis in Frizzling Chicken Feathers. Preprints 2024, 2024041808. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1808.v1
Wu, H.; Chuang, T.; Liao, W.; Chi, K.; Cheng, H.; Juan, W. Modification of Keratin Integrations and the Associated Morphogenesis in Frizzling Chicken Feathers. Preprints2024, 2024041808. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1808.v1
APA Style
Wu, H., Chuang, T., Liao, W., Chi, K., Cheng, H., & Juan, W. (2024). Modification of Keratin Integrations and the Associated Morphogenesis in Frizzling Chicken Feathers. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1808.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Wu, H., Hsu-Cheng Cheng and Wen-Tau Juan. 2024 "Modification of Keratin Integrations and the Associated Morphogenesis in Frizzling Chicken Feathers" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1808.v1
Abstract
The morphological and compositional complexities of keratinized components make feathers ingenious skin appendages adapted to diverse ecological needs. Frizzling feathers, characterized by their distinct curling phenotypes, offer a unique model to explore the intricate morphogenesis in developing a keratin-based bioarchitecture over a wide range of morphospace. Here, we investigated the heterogeneous allocation of α- and β-keratins in flight feather shafts of homozygous and heterozygous frizzle chickens by analyzing the medulla-cortex integrations using quantitative morphology characterizations across scales. Our results reveal intriguing construction of frizzling feather shaft through modified medulla development, leading to a perturbed balance of the internal biomechanics and, therefore, introducing the inherent natural frizzling compared to those from wild-type chickens. We elucidate how the localized developmental suppression of the α-keratin in the medulla interferes with the growth of the hierarchical keratin organization by changing the internal stress in the frizzling feather shaft. This research not only offers insights into the morphogenetic origin of the inherent bending of frizzling feathers but also facilitates our in-depth understanding of the developmental strategies toward the diverse integuments adapted for ecological needs.
Keywords
frizzling feather; rachis; cortex; medulla; morphogenesis; quantitative morphology field
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
