May play a role in anteroposterior axis elongation. From mid-gastrulation to early somite stages, restricted to posterior neural plate and mesoderm with an anterior limit at the level of the rhombencephalon. Posterior restriction is progressively lost during somitogenesis. Expression is maintained in the neural tube and paraxial mesoderm during this process. As development proceeds, further restricted to the dorsal parts of the spinal cord and somites. In parallel, expression progresses caudally during axis elongation. Belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily. DCC family.