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Developmental biology

A ten per cent solution

In early embryos, a concentration gradient of the Bicoid protein affects pattern formation. Studies of living embryos reveal a surprising level of accuracy in the Bicoid gradient. But is it accurate enough?

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Figure 1: The role of Bicoid in dictating levels of gene expression during development.

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Reinitz, J. A ten per cent solution. Nature 448, 420–421 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/448420a

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