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Dilutions Discussion on the dog forum

If anyone wants to jump over there and express an opinion that would be great! http://canine.colorgenetics.info/content/brown-liver-classified-dilutio…; sorry I had edited the title on the thread so the link was broken. Its fixed now ymwhisle

Daylene Alford Mon, 04/25/2011 - 21:00

Does anyone know where I could find an actual definition of dilution as it applies to coat color?

Monsterpony Tue, 04/26/2011 - 20:25

Hmmm, I don't know if there is a concrete one. My own definition is that if the pigment in the hair shaft is the same, but it is changed in a way to lighten the coat, then it is a dilution. For example, creme puts less pigment (either eu or pheo). Dun moves the pigment to one side of the hair shaft, creating a lighter appearance. Both of those I would call dilution. Modifiers, on the other hand, change the actually pigment present in the hair shaft such as switching from eu to pheo (agouti).

Daylene Alford Wed, 04/27/2011 - 20:23

So how would you classify brown? It modifies the pigment shape so that it appears lighter.

[quote]The gene apparently codes for one of the proteins that makes up the eumelanin pigment granule, so the bb granules are smaller and rounder in shape as well as appearing a lighter color than those of a dog carrying B.[/quote]

From http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/genetics/col…

There's some interesting discussion that gone on in the thread here
http://canine.colorgenetics.info/conten…

Monsterpony Wed, 04/27/2011 - 23:59

I'd personally call it a modifier because it is more like a different pigment, but I could understand the dilution argument.

Daylene Alford Fri, 04/29/2011 - 13:25

I've given this alot of though and I think I'm going to go with the dilution route. I think its going to be easier for a newbie to understand. This is the defintion I'm going to use.

Dilution: a genetic mutation that decreases the visual intensity of pigment in the coat and/or skin.

I probably could avoid the whole argument though if I just put diltuions and modifiers on the same page :-?