Spotting genes and internal pigmentation patterns in the mouse.

Hereditary white spotting in the mouse may be caused by genes at over a dozen loci. It is thought that some genes achieve their effects by acting through the melanoblasts, and others by acting through the host tissue. The genes mi, Mi, W and s are believed to belong to the former category. But it is not known how the abnormality of the melanoblasts is transformed into the spotting patterns observed. According to one view, the capacity of the melanoblasts to respond to some melanogenesis-promoting factor in the host tissues is impaired, and as all melanoblasts are affected about equally, the pattern depends on normal variations in the distribution of this factor in the host tissue. According to another, a proportion of the melanoblasts are 'preprogrammed' to die before differentiation. Both views are largely based on studies on the coat. It was thought that an investigation of the spotting patterns in the choroid, the Harderian gland and the inner ear might throw fresh light on the problem. This was carried out in the genotypes +1 mi, Mi/ +, W/ +, Wj W and s/s. The results provide strong support for the view that all melanoblasts are affected and the host tissue plays an important role in determining the pattern of spotting. However, there appear to be some indications that all melanoblasts may not be affected to the same degree.