Late Caudal Floor Plate Cells (DFP)

Late floor plate (FP) cells are morphologically specialized organizer cells located along the ventral midline of the developing neural tube. These cells secrete Shh to promote the development of dopaminergic neurons in their vicinity. Late FP cells are thought to be derived from early FP cells by Shh signals secreted from the underlying notochord. These differentiated FP cells lose the ability to give rise to neurons. Late FP cells in the mesecephalon (and probably in the caudal diencephalon as well) are unique in that they intermingle with dopaminergic progenitor cells.