Increased estrogen formation in the skin and other peripheral tissues of chickens with the henny-feathering trait is due to an enhanced activity of the aromatase complex of enzymes responsible for estrogen synthesis. Estrogen formation is as much as several hundred-fold higher in fibroblasts cultured from skin of chickens carrying the henny feathering trait compared to that observed in fibroblasts from skin of control chickens.Leshin, M., Baron, J., George, F.W. and Wilson, J.D. 1981 Increased estrogen formation and aromatase activity in fibroblasts cultured from the skin of chickens with the Henny feathering trait. J.Biol Chem. May 10;256(9):4341-4.
