Molecular level clarification of the mechanism for animal skin pattern formation

本文对斑马鱼皮肤花纹形成的机制进行了分析，以期为证明“生物花纹形成的基本机制是图灵波”这一假说提供实质性的证据。结果表明：（1）斑马鱼皮肤花纹具有图灵波的动力学特征;（2）色素细胞间的相互作用满足形成图灵波的条件;（3）对形成图灵波起关键作用的分子是缝隙连接、Notch-Delta和Kir通道。该项目的目标完成了约90%。现在我们的最终目标，图灵波分子网络的详细识别，应该非常接近了。

We analyzed the mechanism of skin pattern formation in zebrafish in order to have the substantial evidence to prove the hypothesis, "the basic mechanism of biological pattern formation is the Turing wave". We found,(1)the skin pattern of zebrafish has the specific dynamics of Turing wave, (2)the interactions among the pigment cells satisfies the required conditions for the Turing pattern formation, and (3)the key molecules those critical to the wave formation are gap-junction, Notch-Delta and Kir channels. About 90% of the aim of this project is completed. Now our final goal, the detailed identification of the molecular network of Turing wave, should be very close.