In everything from fruit flies to humans there is a biochemical pathway called the Hedgehog pathway. It is a pretty important pathway that helps regulate stem cells and tissue growth. There are several genes that are a part of this pathway, the most famous of which (and the most common one found in mammals) is called,
Sonic Hedgehog!
Yup, it's named for the video game character. And it also has something to do with hair growth (when the pathway is stimulated in the skin). This isn't the only time that a video game has provided a gene name. This one didn't turn out so well.
2 comments:
I'm not going to be satisfied until there is one called Luigi because it makes your skin turn green.
Interesting that it's only fruit fly genetics where the genes have such crazy names. I think fruit fly genetics is just SO boring that they needed cool gene names to make it sound interesting.
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