iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.
iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.



Link to original content: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15250934
Genetics and evolution of pigment patterns in fish - PubMed Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2004 Aug;17(4):326-36.
doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0749.2004.00174.x.

Genetics and evolution of pigment patterns in fish

Robert N Kelsh  1
Affiliations
Review

Genetics and evolution of pigment patterns in fish

Robert N Kelsh. Pigment Cell Res. 2004 Aug.

Abstract

Vertebrate pigment patterns are both beautiful and fascinating. In mammals and birds, pigment patterns are likely to reflect the spatial regulation of melanocyte physiology, via alteration of the colour-type of the melanin synthesized. In fish, however, pigment patterns predominantly result from positioning of differently coloured chromatophores. Theoretically, pigment cell patterning might result from long-range patterning mechanisms, from local environmental cues, or from interactions between neighbouring chromatophores. Recent studies in two fish genetic model systems have made progress in understanding pigment pattern formation. In embryos, the limited evidence to date implicates local cues and chromatophore interactions in pigment patterning. In adults, de novo generation of chromatophores and cell-cell interactions between chromatophore types play critical roles in generating striped patterns; orientation of the stripes may well depend upon environmental cues mediated by underlying tissues. Further genetic screens, coupled with the routine characterization of critical gene products, promises a quantitative understanding of how striped patterns are generated in the zebrafish system. Initial 'evo-devo' studies indicate how fish pigment patterns may evolve and will become more complete as the developmental genetics is integrated with theoretical modelling.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources