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Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

How Cats Get Their Stripes

  • By Al Mayadeen
  • Source: The National Geographic
  • 10 Sep 2021 15:29
2 Min Read

Recent research of domestic cats has exhibited which genes give felines the particular patterns of their fur.

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  • Cats can now show off their spots and stripes!
    Cats can now show off their spots and stripes!

How cats obtain their stripes has been a conundrum in the natural sciences for decades. The basics of animal color schemes have been a subject of interest in developmental and evolutionary biology for many years.

The typical tabby pattern of domestic cats with black markings in regular spacing on a light backdrop varies greatly in shape and color, and many of the species are comparable to wild cats.

But scientists knew nothing about their unique appearance, which had until recently been so popular as tabs. The scientists claim that in research published this week in Nature Communications, the genes in the embryo's skin cells are triggered before the cat grows fur.

Recent research of home cats has shown which genes give felines the particular patterns of their fur and that wild cats such as tigers and cheetahs, are capable of producing the same genetics with their distinguishing coats.

Early skin cells also imitate tabby strips underneath the microscope, a finding never before seen in embryonic cells.

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The name 'tabby' comes from the al-'Attābiyya district in Baghdad, which in the 16th century produced exquisite silk taffeta. But perhaps the stripes are from the immediate progenitor of the domestic cat, the striped wildcat, from the near east.

Discover the surprising start to this distinctive pattern on domestic cats https://t.co/37RapGTbDR

— National Geographic (@NatGeo) September 9, 2021

The genetics behind the colors and patterns of domestic cats have long intrigued scientists.

Greg Barsh and his colleagues, a researcher at Hudson Alpha Institute of Biotechnology in Alabama, examined over 1,000 embryos taken from veterinaries that spawned wild cats. This was part of an ethically accepted study protocol.

Two different types of skin were found by the scientists, each of which expressed a distinct group of genes. These genes included the Dickkopf WNT Signaling Pathway Inhibitor 4, or DKK4, that differed the most from other genes. 

If all goes as planned, the cells containing DKK4 ultimately turn into dark markers for tabby cats. However, there are often mutations that result in various colors and patterns, such as white spots or thinner stripes. Pigmentation changes may also occur, for example, an all-black layer results in the production of a dark pigment in pigment cells that should have generated colors.

  • Cats
  • pets
  • Animal Health

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