Cytokine that may play a role in anterior neural induction and somite formation during embryogenesis in part, through a BMP-inhibitory mechanism. Can regulate Nodal signaling during gastrulation as well as the formation and patterning of the primitive streak. Forms monomers and predominantly dimers. At 6.5 dpc, early and mid-streak stage embryos, was expressed in the anterior visceral endoderm. The expression domain extended from the extraembryonic-embryonic junction to approximately two thirds of the way down the epiblast. By the mid-streak to late streak stage, expressed in the anterior visceral endoderm but was also expressed in the definitive endoderm emanating from the anterior portion of the primitive streak. By the neural plate stage at 7.5 dpc expression was present throughout the anterior definitive endoderm layer including both the midline and anterior lateral endoderm. At the early headfold stage expression was reduced in the anterior lateral region and expression was seen primarily in the foregut endoderm. In early 8.5 dpc embryos, expression was restricted to the two most recently formed somites. In 9 dpc and 9.5 dpc embryos, expression continued in the two newest formed somites and also in the anterior presomitic mesoderm. N-glycosylated. Belongs to the DAN family.