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Background: Frizzled (FZD) family works with the ligand Wnt protein to mediate downstream signals in the Wnt signaling pathway, while playing a superior role in the body. Therefore, this study was carried out to detect the expression patterns of FZD4 at the gene and protein levels. Methods: 10 developing and postnatal geese dorsal skin of Anser anser (n=5) and Anser cygnoides (n=5). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting were used to detect relative expression levels of FZD4. Feather follicles membrane localization was examined using immunohistochemistry. Student’s t-test and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Result: The results revealed that the FZD4 was expressed differently at mRNA and protein levels at six stages. Furthermore, the positive expression sites of FZD4 protein were gradually transferred from dermal papilla; pulp; follicle wall and feather sheath. These results suggest that FZD4 is expressed in the growth and development of feather follicles for Anser anser and Anser cygnoides.

Background: In recent years, it has been reported that melatonin plays an important role in the development of skin hair follicles in mammals. The down we often use is mainly from the skin feather follicles of geese, but their production is not high. Therefore, the study of skin feather follicles is of great significance. Methods: The skin feather follicle tissues of goose dorsal skin at three developmental nodes (E14, E18 and E28) were collected; the differential expression and distribution of melatonin receptor genes were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, Western Blot and immunohistochemical methods, respectively. The results showed that melatonin receptor gene was expressed in varying degrees at three time points of goose embryonic skin feather follicle development. The expression sites and Protein expression level of Mel1a and RORα were regularly changed by immunohistochemistry and Western Blot. Result: Our research showed that melatonin receptor genes can play an important regulatory role in the development of goose skin feather follicles.