title: Participation of WNT and β-Catenin in Physiological and Pathological Endometrial Changes: Association with Angiogenesis.
abstract: WNT proteins are involved in embryonic development, sex determination, stem cell recruitment, angiogenesis, and cancer. They take part in morphological changes in the endometrium during development, regulate processes of endometrial proliferation and differentiation. This review presents current knowledge about implication of WNT proteins and β-catenin in physiological endometrial functions as well as their involvement in uterine carcinogenesis. Influence of WNT proteins on the formation of blood vessel, taking place both under healthy and pathological conditions, is also considered. Participation of WNT proteins, β-catenin, and inhibitors and inducers of WNT signaling in the process of endometrial angiogenesis is largely unknown. Thus, confirmation of their local and systemic participation in the process of endometrial angiogenesis may in the long term help to establish new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in conditions associated with the pathology of the female reproductive system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury, Warszawska 30, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiewisz
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury, Zołnierska 18, 10-561 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wasniewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury, Warszawska 30, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kmiec
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin