A new breakthrough in limb development

Congenital limb defects are very common and occur in 1.5 in 1,000 births. Some are minor, such as a missing finger, while others are more serious, a missing limb for instance. Fundamental biology looks at the buds of developing limbs and how this development may be linked to defects. Limb position is fairly constant within a same species and yet relatively variable in vertebrates. In an article published in Current Biology (Cell Press), scientists from the Institut Pasteur have discovered that the organization of Hox genes (the limb architects) reflects their order of expression and future limb position.

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