ABSTRACT
Temporal and spatial expressions of ?-catenin investigated in the hair follicle and epidermis of the hoof periphery in bovine embryonic development. IHC (immunohistochemical method) was applied to qualitatively detect the temporal and spatial expressions of ?-catenin. ?-catenin was detected in suprabasal, epidermal basal layer, placode, hair bud in early phase(E68～93),and expressed strongly in epidermal basal layer, placode, and hair bud, in suprabasal expressed less strongly; in metaphase(E94～184), ?-catenin was detected in epidermis, hair peg, and in suprabasal, epidermal basal layer, hair follicle bulge, inner root sheath, outer root sheath, follicular infundibulum expressed less strongly; in late phase(E184～225), ?-catenin expressed weakly in epidermal basal layers, while expressed strongly in epidermal keratinocytes. The result suggested that ?-catenin plays an important role in hair follicle morphogenesis in the periphery of bovine hoof in bovine embryos.