A factor or binding protein secreted from the dorsal mesoderm that is involved in the induction of the early nervous system. Moreover, along with noggin, it regulates (or inhibits) Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs), which is a protein family consisting of nine structurally related proteins belonging to the transforming growth factor beta superfamily,and furthermore plays a key role in craniofacial development.
See Blastopore, Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs), Induction (embryology), Mesoderm, Noggin, Proteins