title: WT1 in disease: shifting the epithelial-mesenchymal balance.
abstract: WT1 is a versatile gene that controls transitions between the mesenchymal and epithelial state of cells in a tissue-context dependent manner. As such, WT1 is indispensable for normal development of many organs and tissues. Uncontrolled epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a hallmark of a diverse array of pathologies and disturbance of mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) has been associated with a number of developmental abnormalities. It is therefore not surprising that WT1 has been linked to many of these. Here we review the role of WT1 in proper control of the mesenchymal-epithelial balance of cells and discuss how far these roles can explain the role of WT1 in a variety of disease states.
authors.affiliation: MRC Human Genetics Unit and Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK.
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miller-Hodges
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hohenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology*; D016162:Genes, Wilms Tumor / Q000502:physiology*; D006061:Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000502:physiology; D012038:Regeneration / Q000235:genetics; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology