Key transcription factor required for motile ciliogenesis. Activates genes essential for motile cilia formation and function. Required for ciliogenesis in multiciliated cells. Expressed in two independent areas of stage 10-11 embryos; in the dorsal blastopore lip (Spemann organizer) and shortly after in the ectodermal cells of the animal cap. As development proceeds, cells of the animal cap contribute to the epidermis and show a spotty pattern, which suggests expression in ciliated epidermal cells. Distribution of these cells is uniform in the trunk area of the embryo but more random in the head, being practically absent in the cement gland and olfactory placode. The spotted pattern becomes more dispersed as embryos grow in size. Due to cell movements during gastrulation, expression in the dorsal lip becomes located in the dorsal midline with expression restricted to the neuroectoderm. Expressed transiently in cells of the newly formed neural floor plate in the tail of older tadpoles. Expression begins during gastrulation, increases continuously until stage 26 and then becomes slightly down-regulated during the following stages. Belongs to the FOXJ1 family.