Abstract :The separation of oral and nasal cavities by horizontal secondary palate is critical for the formation of mammalian oro-facial complex. This horizontal continuous palate arises from the fusion of two bilateral palate shelves that are originally separate and orientated in vertical direction along both sides of the tongue. In order to form the horizontal palate, the vertical palate shelves have to convert themselves to be horizontal ones that are positioned above the tongue, a process termed palate elevation or palate re-orientation, of which the mechanisms have been poorly understood for decades. However, in the past several years, studies with mouse model system have significantly improves our understanding of the mechanisms controlling palate elevation/re-orientation. This mini review is aiming to summarize the recent progress made in the field focusing on the morphogenetic movements that drive the re-orientation as well as the genes involved.