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Science 3 September 2004:
Vol. 305. no. 5689, pp. 1465 - 1466
DOI: 10.1126/science.1098109
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Reports

Molecular Shaping of the Beak

Ping Wu, Ting-Xin Jiang, Sanong Suksaweang, Randall Bruce Widelitz, Cheng-Ming Chuong*

Beak shape is a classic example of evolutionary diversification. Beak development in chicken and duck was used to examine morphological variations among avian species. There is only one proliferative zone in the frontonasal mass of chickens, but two in ducks. These growth zones are associated with bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) activity. By "tinkering" with BMP4 in beak prominences, the shapes of the chicken beak can be modulated.

Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Pathology, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, HMR 315B, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. E-mail: chuong{at}pathfinder.usc.edu

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)