Nkx2.5 and GATA 4 staining. In all of the images, the notochord is stained with the no tail and the tip of the notochord is indicated by the arrowhead. (A) At the 10-somite stage, Nkx2.5 is expressed in the lateral plate straddling the prechordal plate-notochord junction. (B) GATA 4 is expressed in the same mediolateral level, but extends to the optic cup (OP). (C) At the 18-somite stage, the bilateral Nkx2.5- expressing cells converge at the midline at the tip of the notochord, in an X-shape pattern. (D) In the 19-somitestage embryos, Nkx2.5 is extinguished in the cells posterior to the notochord tip. In all of the Nkx2.5 stained images, the bars demarcate the original posterior Nkx2.5-expressing region.
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