In conclusion, the action of RA on EPM cells leading to cleft palate is an extremely complex process, and the present study, building upon the team’s previous research achievements and focusing on mechanism exploration, further revealed the biological process of Lhx6 in promoting the proliferation and migration of HEPM cells by mediating PINK1/Parkin mitophagy, at least partially via activating the MAPK signaling pathway, as shown in Fig. 8. This evidence concerns the gene PRKN and cleft palate.