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. 2011 Mar 15;9(3):e1001028. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001028

Figure 6. Retinoic acid potentiates BMP inhibition of feather patterning.

Figure 6

(A) RA administration reduces the density of placodes, which are detected by β-catenin in situ hybridization, completely inhibiting placode formation at high doses. Suppression of BMP signaling with 4 µM dorsomorphin and 5 µM SB203580 rescues placode formation in the presence of RA. (B) Quantification of placode density on neck and body upon RA treatment. With increasing doses of RA the feather density on body and neck converges and ultimately all feather placode formation is suppressed. (C) RA sensitizes body skin to BMP-driven inhibition of feather development. The application of 0.1 µM RA has little effect on the placode pattern and application of 40 ng/ml BMP12 permits placode formation on the body. Co-treatment with RA and BMP12 has a synergistic effect, completely suppressing feather development on the body. Conversely, treatment of skin with the RA synthesis inhibitor Citral renders the neck resistant to suppression of placode formation by BMPs.