Embryonic organizers or organizing centers are cells located in certain regions of the embryo coordinating morphogenesis which communicate with each other "via a network of secreted signaling proteins, such as bone morphogenetic proteins and their antagonists (chordin and noggin)."[1]
For more details, see morphogenetic singularity theory
The morphogenetic singularity theory, published in 1989,[2] predicted that organizers have three characteristics:
These predictions, formulated by the author of the hypothesis, Charles Shang, from the Emory University School of Medicine (and formerly from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Harvard University) were later verified. Shang proposes that acupuncture points originate from organizers.[3]