The genes that encode the bone morphogenetic proteins and the Vg-related proteins are mammalian members of a group of TGF-beta-related genes, designated the DVR family, that includes the decapentaplegic gene of Drosophila and the Vg1 gene of Xenopus. Members of the DVR (decapentaplegic-Vg-related) family have been implicated in diverse processes during development, particularly in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. The results of our in situ hybridization studies with postimplantation mouse embryos provide evidence for the involvement of DVR family members, particularly DVR-2, DVR-4 and DVR-6, in specific inductive interactions during the development of many organs, including the limb, the whisker follicle and the heart.