Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway plays a role in the development of the central nervous system and growing evidence indicates that Wnts also regulates the structure and function of the adult nervous system. Wnt components are key regulators of a variety of developmental processes, including embryonic patterning, cell specification, and cell polarity. In the nervous system, Wnt signaling also regulates the formation and function of neuronal circuits by controlling neuronal differentiation, axon outgrowth and guidance, dendrite development, synaptic function, and neuronal plasticity. Wnt factors can signal through three very well characterized cascades: canonical or β-catenin pathway, planar cell polarity pathway and calcium pathway that control different processes. However, divergent downstream cascades have been identified to control neuronal morphogenesis. In the nervous system, the expression of Wnt proteins is a highly controlled process. In addition, deregulation of Wnt signaling has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we will review different aspects of neuronal and dendrite maturation, including spinogenesis and synaptogenesis. Finally, the role of Wnt pathway components on Alzheimer’s disease will be revised.
Highlights
The development and specification of different organs and tissues that take place during embryonic development is tightly coordinated by specific signaling molecules known as morphogens including sonic hedgehog (Shh), transforming growth factor β (TGF β), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and Wnt factors
In addition to Fz, Wnt ligands can signal through other receptors with tyrosine kinase activity such as atypical receptor related tyrosine kinase (RYK) and orphan receptor tyrosine kinase (ROR2) (Inoue et al, 2004; Logan and Nusse, 2004)
Dvl1 mutant neurons exhibit shorter and less complex dendrite arbors compared to neurons from wildtype mice (Rosso et al, 2005). These results demonstrate that Dvl1 is required for normal dendritic development in hippocampal neuron (Rosso et al, 2005)
Summary
Reviewed by: Alfredo Cáceres, INEMEC-CONICET, Argentina Corette J. The Wnt signaling pathway plays a role in the development of the central nervous system and growing evidence indicates that Wnts regulates the structure and function of the adult nervous system. Wnt components are key regulators of a variety of developmental processes, including embryonic patterning, cell specification, and cell polarity. Wnt signaling regulates the formation and function of neuronal circuits by controlling neuronal differentiation, axon outgrowth and guidance, dendrite development, synaptic function, and neuronal plasticity. Wnt factors can signal through three very well characterized cascades: canonical or β-catenin pathway, planar cell polarity pathway and calcium pathway that control different processes. The expression of Wnt proteins is a highly controlled process. We will review different aspects of neuronal and dendrite maturation, including spinogenesis and synaptogenesis. The role of Wnt pathway components on Alzheimer’s disease will be revised
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