During development, may be important for neurocranium morphogenesis. At stage 14, detected in cells of the anterior and anterior-lateral rim of the neural plate. After neural tube closure, detected externally in cells in the dorsal-midline of the closed neural tube. At TS3 expressed in the region corresponding to olfactory placode, at TS5 detected in all branchial arches and at stage TS6 expressed in the putative apical ectodermal ridge of the limb buds. Belongs to the distal-less homeobox family.