Structure and function of the notochord: an essential organ for chordate development
|Title||Structure and function of the notochord: an essential organ for chordate development|
|Publication Type||Journal Article|
|Year of Publication||2005|
|Authors||Stemple, D. L.|
|Pagination||2503 - 2512|
The notochord is the defining structure of the chordates, and has essential roles in vertebrate development. It serves as a source of midline signals that pattern surrounding tissues and as a major skeletal element of the developing embryo. Genetic and embryological studies over the past decade have informed us about the development and function of the notochord. In this review, I discuss the embryonic origin, signalling roles and ultimate fate of the notochord, with an emphasis on structural aspects of notochord biology.