TGF-ß signal dispersal during early vertebrate development

The secreted TGF-ß superfamily signals Nodal and BMP coordinate the patterning of vertebrate embryos: Nodal patterns endoderm and mesoderm during germ layer formation, and BMP induces ventral fates. Several theories have been proposed to explain how the correct distribution of Nodal and BMP signals is achieved within tissues, but the underlying biophysical assumptions have not been fully tested. I will present our recent quantitative experiments and mathematical modeling to elucidate the mechanisms controlling the spatial regulation of TGF-ß signaling during early vertebrate embryogenesis.