Wnt signalling pathway

The wnt signalling pathway is a network of proteins that has been implicated in embryogenesis and cancer. wnt is a gene in the extensively studied Drosophila melanogaster, which on damage leads to a wingless phenotype.

The wnt pathway is remarkably conserved in a wide variety of organisms, from C. elegans to humans. In the canonical pathway, Wnt proteins bind to cell-surface receptors of the Frizzled family, causing the receptors to release Dishevelled family proteins. Dishevelled inhibits a complex of molecules that includes axin , GSK-3, and APC gene, which normally promotes the degradation of the β-catenin signaling molecule. Once this complex is inhibited, β-catenin stabilizes, and is able to enter the nucleus, interact with other transcription factors, and promote specific gene expression.

External links

• Wnt gene homepage