Involved in the specification of hypothalamic neuroendocrine cells. Specifically required for the specification of diencephalic dopaminergic neurons of the A11 group. Restricted regions of the developing forebrain, hindbrain, and spinal cord. First detected at 9.5 dpc in restricted domains of the developing diencephalon and along all the hindbrain and the spinal cord. At 10 dpc, found in the medioventral region of the developing spinal cord. At 12.5 dpc, expressed in restricted zones in the preoptic, postoptic and dorsoposterior regions. At later stages, in the intermedial region of the lateral horn, in the optic tract, the presumptive stria terminalis, the amygdaloid complex of the lateral horn in the spinal cord. Death at birth or within the first 2 postnatal days due to defects in neuroendocrine hypothalamus differentiation. Belongs to the paired homeobox family. Bicoid subfamily.