The Wnt Homepage

Wnt proteins form a family of highly conserved secreted signaling molecules that regulate cell-to-cell interactions during development and adult tissue homeostasis. Wnt signaling is often implicated in stem cell control, as a self-renewal signal. Mutations in Wnt genes or Wnt pathway components lead to specific developmental defects, while various human diseases, including cancer, are caused by abnormal Wnt signaling. Insights into the mechanisms of Wnt action have emerged from several systems: genetics in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans; biochemistry in cell culture and ectopic gene expression in Xenopus embryos. As currently understood, Wnt proteins bind to receptors of the Frizzled and LRP families on the cell surface. Through several cytoplasmic relay components, the signal is transduced to ß-catenin, which enters the nucleus and forms a complex with TCF to activate transcription of Wnt target genes.

This website serves as a resource for members of the Wnt community, providing information on progress in the field, maps on signaling pathways, and methods. The page on reagents lists many resources generously made available to and by the Wnt community.

Wnt signaling is discussed in many reviews, listed here. A special edition on "Wnt and cancer" of the journal Cancers is being planned; submissions are invited.

Wnt meetings are announced here. In 2017, for the first time, a Wnt Gordon conference will take place. August 6 - 11, 2017 at the Stoweflake Conference Center, Stowe, VT.

Wnt signaling components

Wnt proteins and genes	Frizzled, SFRP	Dishevelled
Wnt proteins and structures Mouse Human Xenopus Zebrafish Drosophila Syntenic linkage Wnt protein in Prosite InterPro Gene Expression sites	Frizzleds in Mammals Frizzleds in Drosophila, C. Elegans Multiple Wnt receptors SFRP/FrzB genes Frizzled Structure Frp Alignment InterPro	Dsh Structure of the Dep domain Structure of the PDZ domain InterPro DIX InterPro
TCF	Other receptors/LRP	APC
TCF/Lef Structure InterPro	LRP/arrow Multiple Wnt receptors	APC Structure
β-catenin	Axin	Other genes
β-catenin/armadillo Mutations in cancer Structure InterPro	Axin Structure InterPro	Dickkopf GSK3 Porcupine Wntless Rspondins and LGRs Notum
Wnt Target genes	Diseases/Other systems	Methods, Reagents
List genes (table) Feedback target genes (Wnt components) Microarray expression profiling	Wnt signaling in human diseases Wnt signaling in cancer Gene Expression sites Evolutionary origin Wnt components Wnt signaling in C. elegans Stem cells and Wnt signaling (new Sept 2015)	Where to obtain reagents How to detect and activate Wnt signaling How to inhibit Wnt signaling Isolation of Wnt protein How to visualize Wnt signaling in animals Various older assays for Wnt signals Small molecules in Wnt signaling