Abnormal scale morphogenesis: relationship of polypeptide patterns to action of the scaleless gene

Avian scale development. XVII: The epidermis of the scaleless (sc/sc) anterior metatarsal skin is determined, but the dermis lacks permissive cues for the patterned expression of the determined state

Embryos homozygous for the gene scaleless (sc/sc) completely lack scutate scales and the beta strata which characterize terminal differentiation of the scale ridges located on the anterior metatarsal region of the foot. Although the sc/sc epidermis cannot undergo scale morphogenesis, it can respond to the inductive dermal ridges of normal scutate scales by generating beta strata. Recently, we discovered that the anterior metatarsal epidermis of normal embryos becomes committed to the formation of beta strata prior to morphogenesis of definitive scale ridges. Here, we examined the possibility that the sc/sc anterior metatarsal epidermis also becomes determined, i.e., committed to scutate scale-specific terminal differentiation. Experimental tissue recombinants were used to assess the ability of the sc/sc epidermis to generate beta strata. The results show that the germinative cells of the 15-day sc/sc epidermis are committed to generating beta strata, even though they have not undergone scutate scale morphogenesis. Thus, the mechanisms involved in establishing epidermal determination must differ form those regulating scale morphogenesis. In addition, we examined the formation of patterned, permissive cues in the anterior metatarsal and footpad dermises of sc/sc embryos. Analysis of recombinants showed that both the 15- and 20-day dermises from the sc/sc anterior metatarsal region fail to provide cues for beta stratum formation, when associated with the determined 15-day scutate scale epidermis. Likewise, the 15-day sc/sc footpad dermis cannot support beta stratum formation. However, 20-day sc/sc footpad dermis is able to support the generation of a few abnormally patterned beta strata, demonstrating that sc/sc dermis which has experienced even limited morphogenesis is able to provide permissive cues for the terminal differentiation of the scutate scale epidermis.