12 - The Calico Cat
from Part IV - Cats
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2021
Summary
The abnormal animal featured here is the calico cat, whose mottled fur is due to a phenomenon which affects all female mammals. Females inactivate one of their X chromosomes so they become mosaics. We discuss how some male/female mosaics have been used by researchers to probe genetic mechanisms.
- Type
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- Information
- Animal AnomaliesWhat Abnormal Anatomies Reveal about Normal Development, pp. 173 - 184Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021