title: Wnts and the female reproductive system.
abstract: Wnts are intercellular growth and differentiation factors that regulate several key developmental steps, such as gastrulation, neurulation, and organogenesis, including the development of the midbrain, central nervous system, kidney, and limbs. Wnts are also needed for a normal development of the reproductive system. Deficiency of Wnt-4, -5a, and -7a, for example, results in sex reversal, infertility, and/or malformation of the internal and external genitals. Here we focus on the importance of Wnts in the female reproductive system.
authors.affiliation: Biocenter Oulu and Department of Biochemistry, FIN-90014 University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heikkilä
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltoketo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vainio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000254:growth & development*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004330:Drosophila; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D009095:Mullerian Ducts / Q000254:growth & development*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; D060528:Wnt4 Protein
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C555581:WNT4 protein, human; C085389:WNT5A protein, human; C092778:WNT7A protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; D060528:Wnt4 Protein