Our data show that signaling pathways such as Wnt (Wnt5a, Axin1, Axin2), Fgf (Etv4, Etv5, Spry1), Shh (Gli, Shh), Bmp (Bmp2, Bmp4), or TGF-β (Tgf-β) or Notch (Hes1, Notch2) are not significantly affected by Wiz ablation at this stage as well as expression of other cleft palate associated genes like Msx2 or Cdh1. The gene discussed is NOTCH2; the disease is cleft palate.