[14] extradenticle is a homeodomain transcription factor[15] expressed during embryogenesis and is related to morphological changes and development.

[14] Reduced levels of extradenticle cause segmental transformations, without affecting the functionality or location of homeotic genes.

Complete removal of extradenticle both maternally and zygotically leads to alterations from failure of non-extradenticle protein expression.

[16] A monoclonal antibody study of the expression of extradenticle protein in embryonic development found that it is uniformly distributed, as well as excluded from cell nuclei, until gastrulation.

During the germ band retraction stage of development, extradenticle protein begins to accumulate in the nuclei of cells in a specific pattern.