First Author | Konyukhov BV | Year | 1994 |
Journal | Genet Res | Volume | 63 |
Issue | 3 | Pages | 175-81 |
PubMed ID | 8082834 | Mgi Jnum | J:19656 |
Mgi Id | MGI:68308 | Doi | 10.1017/s0016672300032328 |
Citation | Konyukhov BV, et al. (1994) Effects of the white allele of the mi locus on coat pigmentation in chimeric mice. Genet Res 63(3):175-81 |
abstractText | To investigate the cellular action of the Miwh allele in the mouse with regard to its effects upon coat color patterns, we generated a series of aggregation chimeras, using embryos that differ in their mi locus genotype. We have obtained 11 chimeras Miwh/+C/C<==>+/+ c/c and 8 chimeras +/+ C/C<==>+/+ c/c. Chimerism was determined by coat and retinal pigment epithelium mosaicism and by the electrophoretic analysis of GPI-1 isoenzymes. In Miwh/+ C/C<==>+/+ c/c mice white coat color prevailed due to the higher percentage of unpigmented areas and the higher percentage of unpigmented hairs in pigmented areas. Our data indicate that a single Miwh gene dose decreases the melanoblast proliferative activity, causing the lightening of coat pigmentation. In Miwh/+ C/C<==>+/+ c/c mice a few pigmented hairs were often detected on the belly where Miwh/+ mice always had a white spot. This suggests that in the chimeras the presence of some non-Miwh cells in the skin of the belly allows pigment cells to develop. Using embryos of two substrains of Miwh/Miwh mice that differ in their Gpi-1 locus genotype we have produced 8 Miwh/+<==>Miwh/Miwh chimeras. In all these chimeras coat color patterns resembled those of Miwh/+ heterozygotes despite the higher percentage of the Miwh/Miwh component in three chimeras. Mosaic hairs were absent in the chimeras. This shows that the chimeras have only one Miwh/+ melanoblast population which actively proliferates and colonizes almost all hair follicles. Thus the Miwh/Miwh dermis and epidermis do not suppress proliferation and differentiation of the Miwh/+ melanoblasts except the certain area on the belly. |