Abstract
The network of regulatory factors involved in the development of the vertebrate head is an exquisitely tuned system of almost baroque complexity. During early embryogenesis, arrays of activating and inhibitory factors work to mold an initially unstructured clump of cells into an increasingly recognizable body with a distinct back, belly, head, and tail. The development of the head is enabled and guided by the activity of a region of cells called the organizer, which secretes inhibitors of multiple growth factor pathways that affect the axial orientation and germ layer formation of the embryo. In a sense, the organizer acts as a defense system against suppressors that frustrate the development of the nascent head. Here, I briefly discuss recent progress in understanding the molecular basis for specification of the head field.
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Yamamoto, A. (2010). Molecular basis for specification of the vertebrate head field. In: Sasano, T., Suzuki, O. (eds) Interface Oral Health Science 2009. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-99644-6_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-99644-6_4
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