Figure 4.

Tissue recombination experiments show exogenous EF induced feather bud reorientation through acting on the epidermis

(A–C) Electrode positioning (red +/−) and initial epithelial and mesenchymal orientation (black arrows) are shown (n = 5 explants per sample). (A′) Control, epithelium recombined with control mesenchyme. Feather polarity was dictated by epithelial orientation. (B′) Control epithelium recombined with EF exposed mesenchyme (cathode on the left). Feather buds still grew with epithelial orientation. (C′) EF exposed epithelium (cathode to the top) recombined with control mesenchyme. Most feather buds turned toward the cathode (A′–C′, arrows).