title: Molecular shaping of the beak.
abstract: Beak shape is a classic example of evolutionary diversification. Beak development in chicken and duck was used to examine morphological variations among avian species. There is only one proliferative zone in the frontonasal mass of chickens, but two in ducks. These growth zones are associated with bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) activity. By "tinkering" with BMP4 in beak prominences, the shapes of the chicken beak can be modulated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ting-Xin
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Sanong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suksaweang
authors.forename: Randall Bruce
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Widelitz
authors.forename: Cheng-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chuong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001502:Beak / Q000196:embryology*; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002455:Cell Division; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004372:Ducks / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity; D000099176:Noggin Protein
chemical_list: D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000099176:Noggin Protein