User:Ariannapetrovia/Notochord

The notochord is important for signaling the dorso-ventral patterning of cells coming from the mesodermal progenitors. This helps form the precursors needed for certain organs and the embryo to develop. In summary, the notochord plays essential roles in embryonic development.

The functions of the notochord include: providing a directional reference to the surrounding tissue as a midline structure during the embryonic development, a precursor for vertebrae and a primitive axial endoskeleton, and can allow for facilitated tail motion when swimming.

Schifferl, D., Scholze-Wittler, M., Villaronga Luque, A., Pustet, M., Wittler, L., Veenvliet, J. V., Koch, F., & Herrmann, B. G. (2023). Genome-wide identification of notochord enhancers comprising the regulatory landscape of the brachyury locus in mouse. Development (Cambridge, England), 150(22). https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.202111