Researchers in Switzerland solve mystery of patterns on gecko skin

Scientists at the University of Geneva have unravelled the mystery behind the skin patterns of leopard geckos. According to their study, the disappearance of a specific cell type is responsible for the distinctive leopard pattern observed on the geckos' skin. In their early months, leopard geckos display stripes akin to zebras. As they grow up, these stripes transform into spots on the gecko's skin. The researchers wanted to better understand this transformation, as the University of Geneva in French-speaking Switzerland announced on Wednesday. Subscribe to our science newsletter here. To achieve this, they analysed skin samples from leopard geckos at different stages of their development. They discovered that young striped animals have three types of pigment cells. However, as the animals mature, one type of pigment cell, known as iridophores, disappears. Analysis of the geckos' tails Further evidence that the absence of iridophores results in spotted skin was gathered through an ...