Left-right determination factor 2(LEFTY2) is a secreted protein which belongs to the TGF-beta family. Lefty was first identified in a screen for undifferentiated cell-specific cDNAs from the P19 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells. Its mRNA expression on the left side of the developing embryo earned the name 'Lefty'. The human orthologue was initially identified as Ebaf, Endometrial bleeding associated factor. Lefty contains the six cysteine residues that are conserved among TGF-β related proteins and that are necessary to form the cysteineknot structure. Its function in patterning left-right asymmetry of the developing organ systems such as the heart and lung is consistent in all vertebrate species examined. Lefty acts as an antagonist to Nodal signaling, potentially by competing for binding to a common receptor. It may play a role in endometrial bleeding.