Required during oogenesis for eggshell patterning and dorsal/ventral patterning of the embryo. Acts as a morphogen during embryogenesis to pattern the dorsal/ventral axis, specifying dorsal ectoderm and amnioserosa cell fate within the dorsal half of the embryo; this activity is antagonized by binding to sog and tsg. Induces the formation of visceral mesoderm and the heart in early embryos. Required later in embryogenesis for dorsal closure and patterning of the hindgut. Also functions postembryonically as a long-range morphogen during imaginal disk development; is responsible for the progression of the morphogenetic furrow during eye development. Patterns the wing imaginal disk along its anterior/posterior axis and has a role in positioning pro-veins. Also required to subdivide the wing disk along the proximal/distal axis into body wall (notum) and wing. Ensures the correct architecture of wing epithelial cells. Has multiple roles in the developing tracheal system, controlling directed tracheal cell migration during embryogenesis and later specifying the fate of fusion cells in the tracheal branches. Required for viability of larvae. Essential for the maintenance and division of germline stem cells in the ovary. Signals via the type I receptor tkv, the type II receptor punt, and in some tissues via the type I receptor sax, in a signaling cascade that leads to activation and repression of target genes. Heterodimers of scw/dpp are the active subunit, dpp/dpp homodimers elicit a basal response and scw/scw homodimers alone are ineffective in specifying a dorsal pattern. Component of a complex composed of dpp, sog and tsg. Is internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Expressed in the dorsal region of the embryo, and becomes enriched in a dorsal midline stripe just prior to gastrulation. Expressed in midgut mesoderm and in two overlapping regions of the embryonic large intestine. Expressed in a long-range concentration gradient in the wing imaginal disk. Expressed both maternally and zygotically. First detected during stages 8 to 10 of oogenesis. Belongs to the TGF-beta family.