 The discoverers of chordin concluded that it is expressed in embryo regions where gsc and Xnot were also expressed, which included the prechordal plate, the notochord, and the chordoneural hinge.The expression of the gene in these regions led to the name chordin.Initial functions of chordin were thought to include recruitment of neighboring cells to assist in the forming of the axis along with mediating cell interactions for organization of tail, head, and body regions.