title: Dickkopf-1 is a member of a new family of secreted proteins and functions in head induction.
abstract: The Spemann organizer in amphibian embryos is a tissue with potent head-inducing activity, the molecular nature of which is unresolved. Here we describe dickkopf-1 (dkk-1), which encodes Dkk-1, a secreted inducer of Spemann's organizer in Xenopus and a member of a new protein family. Injections of mRNA and antibody indicate that dkk-1 is sufficient and necessary to cause head induction. dkk-1 s a potent antagonist of Wnt signalling, suggesting that dkk genes encode a family of secreted Wnt inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Embryology, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glinka
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Delius
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Monaghan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blumenstock
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niehrs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D014981:Xenopus; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C110182:dkk1 protein, Xenopus; C501128:dkk1b protein, zebrafish