Random induction (by a heat-shock) of dpp^FO mutant somatic clones early in larval development (48 hr after egg laying, AEL) leads to severely reduced wing disc size in third instar larvae, clone induction at later time in larval life (72 and 96 AEL) has less pronounced effect on wing disc growth. Using Scer\GAL4^dpp.blk1-driven Scer\FLP1 to target the induction of dpp^FO mutant cells to the dpp expression domain in the wing disc has little effect on the disc size, gross morphology or cell proliferation (however, some residual expression of the dpp protein remains), but the patterning of the presumptive vein territories is disrupted. Wing discs consisting entirely from dpp^FO cells (by using combination of Scer\GAL4^ci.PC and Scer\GAL4^en-e16E drivers to induce the recombination event) are rudimentary and fail to grow, severe growth disruption is also observed when the induction of dpp^FO mutant cells is limited to the dorsal or anterior compartment or the wing pouch region (by using Scer\GAL4^ap.PU or Scer\GAL4^ci.PC or Scer\GAL4^nub.PU-driven Scer\FLP1, respectively). Limiting also the time of dpp^FO clone induction in the anterior compartment by combining the Scer\GAL4^ap.PU driver with tub-Gal80[ts] leads to most severe growth defects when the recombination is induced early in larval life but even late induction results in mildly reduced disc size.

Discs with the posterior compartment consisting of dpp^FO cells (using Scer\GAL4^en-e16E-driven Scer\FLP1 expression) do not show any significant growth or patterning defects.