We demonstrated that stage-specific transient agonism of sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway signalling in chicken triggers a complete and permanent transition from reticulate scales to feathers on the ventral surfaces of the foot and digits. Resulting feathers are developmentally comparable to feathers adorning the body, with down-type feathers transitioning into regenerative, bilaterally symmetric contour feathers in adult chickens. Our RNA-sequencing analyses confirm that SAG treatment specifically promotes the expression of key Shh pathway-associated genes.
Transient agonism of the sonic hedgehog pathway triggers a permanent transition of skin appendage fate in the chicken embryo
Cooper & Milinkovitch
Science Advances 9, 20 (2023)
Protocol for the rapid intravenous in ovo injection of developing amniote embryos
Cooper, Santos-Durán & Milinkovitch
STAR protocols 4, 2 (2023)