Scientists have discovered that rarest of things: a chicken with teeth – crocodile teeth to be precise.
Contrary to the well-known phrase, ‘As rare as hens’ teeth,’ the researchers say they have found a naturally occurring mutant chicken called Talpid that has a complete set of ivories.
The team, based at the Universities of Manchester and Wisconsin, have also managed to induce teeth growth in normal chickens – activating genes that have lain dormant for 80 million years.
Professor Mark Ferguson, one of the scientific team at the University of Manchester, says the research – published in Current Biology this week – has major implications in understanding the processes of evolution. It could also have applications in tissue regeneration, including the replacement of lost teeth in humans.
“The mutant bird has severe limb defects and dies before it can hatch,” explained Professor Ferguson, who is based in the University’s Faculty of Life Sciences.
“It was discovered 50 years ago but no one has ever examined its mouth. What we discovered were teeth similar to those of crocodiles – not surprising as birds are the closest living relatives of the reptile.”
The discovery led the team to wonder whether healthy chickens might still maintain the genetic pathways to re-grow teeth.
“We found we were able to induce teeth to grow in normal chickens by making changes to the expression of particular molecules,” said Professor Ferguson.
“All the pathways to make teeth are preserved which helps us understand how evolutionary changes can be brought about by subtle alterations in developmental biology.”
Professor Ferguson says a direct application of the research could be in the re-growing of teeth in people who have lost them through accident or disease.
But the study has implications for tissue regeneration more widely.
“The principle of activating specific dormant pathways to stimulate regeneration instead of repair has made applications, to injury, surgery and human disease,” he said.
Indeed, building on previous discoveries of scar-free healing in embryos, Professor Mark Ferguson and Dr Sharon O’Kane founded Renovo, a spin-out company from The University of Manchester, which is developing novel pharmaceuticals for the prevention and reduction of scarring.
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The two creatures whose DNA is the closest are the crocodile and the chicken, where there were 17.5% of sequences in common — nearly one fifth.
all makes sense now.
you all are lies the possibility of a chicken with teeth is out-rageous you are a disgrace to science
You are a disgrace to the entire English language. “you all are lies”? Really? I think your mom might have let you on one of those “grown up” sites, where only “adults” are supposed to post comments. You are the epitome of ignorance. That chicken probably has more teeth than you.
All chickens have the DNA to be able to grow teeth. It’s just been repressed over the years. Scientists HAVE been able to identify the gene and grow chicks with teeth in a lab environment.
I would like to see an amazing picture of this~! A chicken with actual crockidle teeth? Thats the coolest thing ever! That would be amazing if I could see an actual picture! You should post a picture on this website. Totally written by a 16 year old that doesn’t know how to write! haha
This comes as know surprise. But I wouldn’t compare the chicken teeth to the crocodile. Its chompers may come from a much bigger and older predator. I wrote about this last year, which you can find through this shameless self-promotion link.
http://rebirthofrenaisauce.blogspot.com/2007/04/step-above-buffalo-wings.html
God is the creator of teeth, chicken cannot grow teeth, chicken doesn’t even knwo what is teeth, you all liar, can you make you’re heart stop? god is creator of ultimate
Pandeism explains it all.
Here’s a picture, although not very good
http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?s=animals&c=news&l=on&pic=060222_mutant_mouth_02.jpg&cap=Normal+chick+on+the+left%2C+the+talpid2+is++on+the+right.+The+mutant+jaw+clearly+shows+teeth.+Credit%3A+John+F.+Fallon+and+Matthew+P.+Harris&title=
Oh wow………you are a complete idiot. I almost feel pity for your ignorance.
Learn how to spell and use your words before you try to make an argument idiot.
i wish you put a picture of this “amazing” crocodile chicken, or some might call it, a crockin haha that is a funny word, but anyway i need a picture to fully believe this so called “discovery”
It should be forbidden, how can scientistst mistreat animals like that… this is not evolution they are just messing with the animal DNA … and call it evolution to support their stupid theory!
Lol at the thicko creationists. Your tiny brains just can’t cope with information like this, can they?
Dude.. no one called it a crocodile chicken.
It wasnt scientists who made it and it is a mutation. If it is better suited to life with teeth it is evolution.
haha nice but its proven chickens used to have teeth and in early stages of it birth as a early embreo it is visble to see teeth and the tail is longer but by the time of hatch it has changed as it doesnt feel it needs them anymore..but stil has old trades of the dinosaour so it does no wat teeth are its the same as human has killer instincts etc and some human even have tails to slight mutaion but were all capable of growing them just in early stages of grwoth that part stops growing…but nice
you know its chicken right? (nom nom food chicken) oh the animal abuse. next they will be growing them and eating them for food!
show us a picture!!!
You made sense at first but faded away towards the end lol. You explained this kind of backwards evolution ok then messed it all up by then giving the chickens reasoning and choice over their own evolution by saying that it feels it doesn’t need them any more haha.
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
ivaedocvunf@gmail.com
i dont know what you’re talking about…people already grow chickens and eat them for food. your point is that these chickens with teeth are chickens; well, we already grow chickens for food, so what’s the point of saying that people are going to grow chickens for food. we know…that’s what’s for dinner. and growing teeth isnt abuse; cock fighting is abuse.
true it is indeed evolution–micro-evolution. denying micro-evolution is dumb; accepting macro-evolution, i wont go there…
I think not. No way.
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I’d love to see a picture of that chicken.
FitFlops
people who write on this are noooobs
It’s called natural selection. And, no, nothing chooses what evolves. Have a read.
n00b. I win.