Expression analysis of HOXC genes in Silkie (crested) and White Leghorn (non-crested) chickens.

<p>(A) <i>HOXC8</i>, <i>HOXC12</i> and <i>HOXC13</i> genes were detected by RT-PCR in three tissues (cranial skin, dorsal skin and heart) of Silky and White Leghorn chickens at four developmental stages (E8, E10, E12, E16). C: Cranial skin; D: Dorsal skin; H: Heart. <i>GAPDH</i> was used as a positive and normalised control. -RT indicates a reaction without reverse transcriptase. CK indicates a reaction with water as the template. (B)&(C) q-PCR results for <i>HOXC8</i> expression level in cranial skin (B); and in dorsal skin (C) during chicken developmental stages E13 to E21 comparing Crested and non-crested chickens. No <i>HOXC8</i> expression was detected in cranial skin from non-crested birds. (*, <i>P</i><0.05; **, <i>P</i><0.01).