Each issue, The Scientist will publish a list of the 10 top-rated papers from a specific subject area, as well as a short review of one or more of the listed papers. We will also publish a selection of comments on interesting recent papers from the Faculty of 1000's output. For more information visit www.facultyof1000.com.
Previous research in frog embryos showed that inhibiting the signaling pathway of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) and of a secreted glycoprotein, known as Wnt, is enough to induce head formation and the neural cells' proper differentiation. An embryonic region known as Spemann's organizer is the mastermind, dispensing out antagonists that block the pathways.
But evidence found in the 1960s hinted that these inhibitors were not the whole story.1 Researchers found that a protein extract from guinea pig liver could induce forebrain development, and no Wnt or BMP inhibitors since described have matched the physical characteristics ...
