Egfl6 Expression in the Pharyngeal Pouch Is Dispensable for Craniofacial Development

The study investigated the role of the egfl6 gene in craniofacial development in zebrafish, focusing on its expression in pharyngeal pouches. Despite egfl6 being expressed in these pouches, loss-of-function mutations in egfl6 did not result in any craniofacial defects, including the development of pouches, thymus, and facial cartilages. The study also found that egfl6 was not redundant with egfl7, as reducing egfl7 in egfl6 mutants did not affect craniofacial development. Additionally, an endogenous start loss mutation in the wild-type Tübingen strain suggested that egfl6 might be a non-functional gene. Overall, the research concluded that egfl6 expression in pharyngeal pouches was not required for craniofacial development in zebrafish.