Correcting the Phenotype of the Epidermis from Chick Embryos Homozygous for the Gene Scaleless ( sc / sc )

Abstract

Scutate scales are completely missing in the scaleless (sc/sc) mutant chicken. Organ cultures consisting of epidermis from sc/sc embryos combined with normal (+/+) scale dermis of the same developmental age produce the scaleless phenotype, but the same scaleless epidermis in combination with normal dermis from more differentiated embryonic scales forms perfectly normal scales.