Defining the critical period of hedgehog pathway inhibitor-induced cranial base dysplasia in mice.

Background: The hedgehog signaling pathway is critical for developmental patterning of the limb, craniofacial and axial skeleton. Disruption of this pathway in mice leads to a series of structural malformations, but the exact role and critical period of the Hh pathway in the early development of the cranial base have been rarely described.

Results: Embryos exposed to vismodegib from E7.