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Cited by 67melanin and skin pigmentationDevelopmental Biology and Gene RegulationZebrafish Biomedical Research Applications

Evolution of pigment cells and patterns: recent insights from teleost fishes

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Parichy, David M·2021·Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
DOI 10.1016/j.gde.2021.02.006PMC PMC8364858
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Abstract

Skin pigment patterns of vertebrates are stunningly diverse, and nowhere more so than in teleost fishes. Several species, including relatives of zebrafish, recently evolved cichlid fishes of East Africa, clownfishes, deep sea fishes, and others are providing insights into pigment pattern evolution. This overview describes recent advances in understanding periodic patterns, like stripes and spots, the loss of patterns, and the role of cell-type diversification in generating pigmentation phenotypes. Advances in this area are being facilitated by the application of modern methods of gene editing, genomics, computational analysis, and other approaches to non-traditional model organisms having interesting pigmentary phenotypes. Several topics worthy of future attention are outlined as well.

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  • Ectothermic vertebrates have multiple types of pigment cells that retain their pigmentary materials intracellularly: black melanophores, with melanin; yellow or orange xanthophores and red erythrophores, with pteridines, carotenoids, or both; and iridescent iridophores, with crystalline deposits of guanine in stacks of reflecting platelets.

    “Ectothermic vertebrates have multiple types of pigment cells that retain their pigmentary materials intracellularly: black melanophores, with melanin; yellow or orange xanthophores and red erythrophores, with pteridines, carotenoids, or both; and iridescent iridophores, with crystalline deposits of guanine in stacks of reflecting platelets (3).”

    From Agouti and BMP signaling drive a naturally occurring fate conversion of melanophores to leucophores in zebrafish (2025) · cites this paper as [3]

    The ‘Chromatophore origins and arrangements’ section says that teleosts and other ectotherms have several chromatophore classes that typically retain pigments intracellularly; it identifies black melanophores, xanthophores with pteridines and carotenoids, and iridescent iridophores with reflective guanine crystals. ‘Diversification of chromatophore type’ identifies red erythrophores, but does not specify their pigment materials. It describes stacked guanine platelets in a matte-white clownfish iridophore subtype, rather than establishing that arrangement for iridescent iridophores generally. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Cited by

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Authors
Parichy, D. M.
Affiliations
University of Virginia (US)
Corresponding author
Parichy, David M
ORCID
Parichy, David M
Venue
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-08
Volume
69
Pages
88-96
ISSN
0959-437X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.gde.2021.02.006
PMC
PMC8364858
OpenAlex
W3136898777
Cited by
67
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9
FWCI
1.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Genetics & Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
NIGMS
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
Keywords
pigment cells, teleosts, skin pigmentation, periodic patterns, zebrafish, cichlid fish, clownfish, deep-sea fish, genome editing
MeSH terms
Animals, Biological Evolution, Phenotype, Pigmentation, Skin, Species Specificity, Zebrafish, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

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