Transcriptional repressor required for the specification of numerous cell types during embryonic development. Required for terminal patterning of early embryos. May associate with gro to repress tll and hkb, restricting their expression to embryonic terminal poles where they initiate correct development of head and tail structures. Required for dorsoventral patterning of oocytes and early embryos. Cooperates with dl to repress zen and other dorsal specific genes within the embryo and promotes expression of the ventralizing factor pip in ovarian follicle cells. Required during wing development for the specification of intervein areas, where it mediates localized repression of vein specific genes such as aos, dpp and vvl. Interacts with gro. Expressed in the central region of embryos. Also expressed in ovarian follicle cells, the wing imaginal disks and the wing pouch. Expressed maternally in stage 1-3 blastoderm embryos. Subject to local inactivation by the RAS-RAF-MAPK signal transduction pathway, which leads to relief of target gene repression. This pathway may be locally activated by a variety of ligands and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) according to the developmental stage and tissue. In terminal patterning, activation of tor by the locally processed ligand trk may promote cic inactivation specifically at the embryonic terminal poles. In the developing wing, activation of Egfr by vn may lead to cic inactivation specifically in prospective vein tissue.