amel vs albino

[okapi]

Id have to check my biology books

Big long words that are harder to remember than melanin

Chromatophores are pigment contianing cells.
Chromatophores = color bearing cell.

Xanthophores contain yellow pigment.
Erythrophores contain red/orange pigment
Iridophores refelct light, making iridescent colors.
Melanophores contain melanin
Cyanophores cause vibrant blue colors in some fish and frogs.
Carotenoids cause orange pigment in plants and bacteria. Causes pink/red color in flamingos, salmon, and lobsters...

So I would assume that AFTs have Xanthophores, Erythrophores, and Melanophores. The Amel gene (A before a word in latin means the opposite of or a lack of; meaning amel = no/lacking melanin) blocks the Melanophores, letting the Xanthophores and Erythrophores to show off.

 

[HepCatMoe]

you rock dude.

 

[LadyGecko]

Great thread and thanks for the detailed info
:main_yes:
Sandy

 

[okapi]

The books by Kathy Love (corn snake breeder) have good genetics and pigment mutation sections. Since they have the same pigments as geckos (reds, yellows, browns, blacks) they are good reads for understanding how pigments block eachother and how mutant genes (like albino traits) cause different colors than the normal wild type. Biology books are a little harder to follow. But most of my reptile books are in storage right now.

 

[HepCatMoe]

i found another pretty good thread about this here