Specification of the Anteroposterior Neural Axis through Synergistic Interaction of the Wnt Signaling Cascade withnogginandfollistatin

Abstract

Embryological data and the activities of the neural-inducing factorsnogginandfollistatinare consistent with the hypothesis that the nervous system is initially induced with an anterior character, with subsequent signals imparting posterior pattern. We report thatXwnt3ais a candidate for involvement in anteroposterior neural patterning, as it synergizes with the neural-inducing factorsnogginandfollistatinto increase the expression of posterior neural genes. Furthermore we show that β-catenin, an intracellular protein implicated in the Wnt signal transduction cascade, mimics the activity ofXwnt3a.These data suggest that the generation of pattern within the vertebrate nervous system may rely on synergism between a Wnt signaling pathway and multiple neural-inducing factors. © 1995 by Academic Press, Inc.