Lateral views of in situ hybridizations (A,B,E–L) with indicated markers and ventral views of Alcian Blue stained embryos (C,D), anterior to the left. Scale bars 100 µm. (A,B) Endodermal runx3 expression in the pharyngeal region is not altered in 4 ng MOegr1 spl morphants. (C,D) runx3 knock-down using 2 ng MOrunx3 tr leads to total absence of viscerocranium and the anterior neurocranium (D) compared to control (C) embryos. (E,F) runx3 morphants do not express runx2b in pharyngeal cartilage precursor cells. (G,H) runx3 morphants do not express egr1 transcripts in pharyngeal endoderm. (I,J) The endodermal marker sox9b is absent in pharyngeal endoderm when runx3 expression is blocked. (K,L) runx3 knock-down does not affect expression of pharyngeal endodermal marker nkx2.3 at 48 hpf. Trigeminal ganglia (tg), pharyngeal endoderm (pe), cleithrum (cl), Meckel’s cartilage (m), palatoquadrate (pq), hyosymplectic (hs), ceratohyal (hs), ceratobranchials 1 to 5 (cb1-5), ethmoid plate (ep), otic vesivle (ov).