Final answer:
The Spemann organizer gets its special and powerful properties through genetic programming and the expression of specific sets of genes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spemann organizer gets its special and powerful properties through genetic programming and the expression of specific sets of genes. In an experiment by Spemann and Mangold, dorsal cells from one embryo were transplanted into the belly region of another embryo. This resulted in the transplanted embryo having two notochords, indicating that the dorsal cells were genetically programmed to form the notochord and define the axis. Researchers have since identified many genes responsible for axis formation, and mutations in these genes can lead to the loss of symmetry in organism development.