NEL-like molecule-1 (NELL1), a new secretory protein originally identified in unilateral coronal craniosynostosis in humans (Ting et al., 1999), plays an important role in osteogenic differentiation, bone regeneration, chondrogenesis and inflammation (Aghaloo et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2010; Cao et al., 2021). The gene discussed is NELL1; the disease is craniosynostosis.