Mutant Chicken Grows Alligatorlike Teeth
Hen's teeth may soon be a lot less scarce. Matthew Harris of the University of Wisconsin has found that a mutant embryo among the poultry in the university's developmental biology lab has grown teeth — a trait missing from birds for 70 million years. These proto-teeth, described as a "conical, saber-shaped structure," are believed to come from alligators, a distant ancestor if you're disinclined to believe in intelligent design.
Previous efforts to produce teeth in chickens — evidently a popular pastime among researchers — have relied on genetic information from mice to grow mammalian molars. Thankfully, the prospect of rampaging, saber-toothed roosters is unlikely: The genetic trait that generates teeth in chickens is lethal (not unlike the deep-fryer).
