First published online July 11, 2006
Development 133, 1503e (2006)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
Wnt pathways MAKe the switch
Two distinct Wnt signalling pathways regulate many important developmental
processes during embryogenesis. The canonical pathway acts through
ß-catenin to control cell fate determination, whereas the non-canonical
pathway modulates morphogenetic movements by regulating the actin
cytoskeleton. But how do developing tissues switch between these pathways? On
p. 2845, Kibardin and
colleagues propose that metastasis-associated kinase (MAK) may do the
switching during Xenopus development. In loss-of-function and
gain-of-function experiments, the researchers show that MAK is required for
convergent extension movements, eye development and specification of the
midbrain/hindbrain boundary, all of which are controlled by Wnt signalling.
MAK, they report, stimulates non-canonical Wnt signalling but negatively
regulates the canonical pathway. These effects require its kinase activity,
one possible substrate of which is Dishevelled, which functions in both Wnt
signalling branches. The researchers propose, therefore, that MAK may switch
Wnt signalling from the canonical to the non-canonical pathway during
development through phosphorylation of Dishevelled. Future research should
uncover what regulates MAK activity.
Related articles in Development:
- Metastasis-associated kinase modulates Wnt signaling to regulate brain patterning and morphogenesis
- Alexey Kibardin, Olga Ossipova, and Sergei Y. Sokol
Development 2006 133: 2845-2854.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
