Distribution of Melanocytes in Feather Germs of a Plumage Mutant Bh (Black at Hatch) Embryo of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

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Development and distribution of melanocytes were histologically examined with the aid of dopa reaction in the feather germs of Bh (black at hatch) quail embryos. In the feather germs of 10-day wild-type embryos, two types of melanocytes were observed; strongly dopa reaction-positive melanocytes (with black pigment) and moderately positive melanocytes (with brown pigment), which were located in the black parts and yellow parts of the feather germs, respectively. These melanocytes were arranged in a regular pattern in the barb ridges of whole feather germs. By contrast, in the heterozygotes, the distribution of the two types of melanocytes were intermingled in the correspondent to the yellow parts of the wild-type feather germs. In the parts corresponding to the black parts of the wild-type feather germs, melanocytes with black pigment were mainly seen. The distribution of melanocytes in heterozygous feather germs resulted in the black coating of the heterozygotes. The homozygous feather germs mostly contained melanocytes with moderate staining of the dopa reaction and brown pigment, leading to the brown appearance of the feather germs. Development of homozygous feather germs was delayed 1 or 2 days compared to those of the wild-type and heterozygotes, but homozygous melanocytes were also arranged at regular intervals in the barb ridges of the feather germs, which resembled the pattern seen in the wild-type and heterozygous feather germs. Therefore, the distribution of the two types of melanocytes in the feather germs might determine plumage pigmentation patterns in Bh quail embryos.
1996-10-15

Distribution of Melanocytes in Feather Germs of a Plumage Mutant Bh (Black at Hatch) Embryo of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

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