Hedgehog–BMP signalling establishes dorsoventral patterning in lateral plate mesoderm to trigger gonadogenesis in chicken embryos

Abstract

Ingression of cells from the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) initiates gonad differentiation but how these events are triggered is unclear. Here, the authors show that gonadal progenitor cells at the ventromedial LPM initiate gonadogenesis, and are activated by Hedgehog and BMP4 signalling.