title: Wnt signaling in the thymus.
abstract: Wnt proteins are secreted signaling molecules that regulate cell-to-cell interactions during embryogenesis in many different tissues and species. Wnt signaling is required for normal thymocyte development, most dramatically at the pro-T-cell stage, although recent reports also indicate a role for Wnt proteins in later stages of thymocyte differentiation. The Wnt cascade induces the interaction of the normally cytoplasmic cofactor beta-catenin with the nuclear Tcf and Lef transcription factors. Active Wnt signaling is an absolute requirement for T-cell development, as demonstrated by the complete block in thymocyte development observed in the absence of Tcf1 and Lef1, or in the presence of extracellular Wnt inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE Rotterdam, The Netherlands. staal@immu.fgg.eur.nl
authors.forename: Frank J T
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Staal
authors.forename: Hans C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Clevers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins