Grainyhead-like 2 regulates neural tube closure and adhesion molecule expression during neural fold fusion

► Grainyhead-like 2 mutant represents a mammalian model for embryonic tissue closure. ► Grhl2 controls neural tube, body wall, craniofacial, eye, lung, and heart development. ► Grhl2 affects the expression of a battery of genes involved in cell adhesion and epithelial function. ► Comparison between Grhl2 and AP2α mutants highlights complexity of neural tube closure.