Cerberus is a head-inducing secreted factor expressed in the anterior endoderm of Spemann's organizer.

Bouwmeester, T; Kim, S; Sasai, Y; Lu, B; De Robertis, E M · Nature · 1996

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

An abundant cDNA enriched in Spemann's organizer, cerberus, was isolated by differential screening. It encodes a secreted protein that is expressed in the anterior endomesoderm. Microinjection of cerberus mRNA into Xenopus embryos induces ectopic heads, and duplicated hearts and livers. The results suggest a role for a molecule expressed in the anterior endoderm in the induction of head structures in the vertebrate embryo.

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