The genetics of skeletal development.

A genetic analysis of biologic processes has provided substantial advances in developmental biology. Whereas the genetic analysis of Drosophila is a potent system, recently developed tools have enabled a genetic analysis of the development of vertebrates. For these studies, numerous mouse mutants are available and many more will be introduced in the near future. Mutations involving the skeleton are easy to detect. This article reports the phenotype and molecular analysis of two mutant mouse strains with skeletal abnormalities, undulated (un) and Danforth's short tail (Sd). The role of the corresponding genes in skeletal development of these two mutants and the basis for their genetic interaction are discussed.