The nodal-related gene cyclops (cyc) is not required for medial floor plate development in the absence of spt function. sonic hedgehog (shh) expression in trunk medial floor plate (MFP) of wild-type (A) and mutant (B-D) embryos at 24 hpf. As noted already, spt– MFP is often broader and some MFP cells are located ventral to the notochord (arrow) (C). In contrast, MFP is completely absent in the trunk of cyc– embryos (B), but is significantly restored in spt–;cyc– embryos (D). Ventral brain shh expression in spt–;cyc– embryos is comparable to that in cyc– embryos (data not shown); thus, suppression of the cyc– MFP defect by the spt mutation is restricted to the trunk and tail. Lateral views, with anterior to the left. Scale bar: 100 μm.
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