Development: morphogen gradients and mesodermal patterning.
Activin has long-range effects in Xenopus development, inducing the mesodermally expressed brachyury gene up to 10 cell diameters from a localised source. Recent experiments show that activin diffuses through tissues to establish a morphogen gradient, and that the long-range effects are a direct result of activin signalling.
Dale
L
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Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, UK.
D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000502:physiology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*
D006133:Growth Substances; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins