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Related Concept Videos

Catenins01:23

Catenins

Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
Catenins in Cell Junctions
Catenins bind to cell adhesion molecules such as cadherins and link them to different cytoskeletal proteins depending on the type of cell junction. At the adherens...
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways01:41

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

Wnt is a zygotic effect gene that is expressed during very early embryonic development. It regulates various processes in animals starting from early development through the adult stage, such as organogenesis in the embryo and maintenance of neuronal and blood stem cells. Wnt proteins can induce a wide variety of intracellular pathways depending upon the specific abilities of different Wnt ligands to form a complex with shared and cognate receptors in the presence of different co-receptors. The...
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway02:54

Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

The gene encoding the main signaling molecules of the Wnt signaling pathways (the Wnt proteins) was discovered almost four decades ago by Nüsslein-Volhard and Wieschaus. They identified and originally named the gene "wingless" (wg) after a phenotype discovered during their landmark genetic screen in Drosophila for body pattern defects. At around the same time, another researcher named Harold Varmus found that a murine tumor virus activates the mammalian wg homolog, Int-1, which results in tumor...
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway02:54

Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

The gene encoding the main signaling molecules of the Wnt signaling pathways (the Wnt proteins) was discovered almost four decades ago by Nüsslein-Volhard and Wieschaus. They identified and originally named the gene "wingless" (wg) after a phenotype discovered during their landmark genetic screen in Drosophila for body pattern defects. At around the same time, another researcher named Harold Varmus found that a murine tumor virus activates the mammalian wg homolog, Int-1, which results in tumor...
Cadherins in Tissue Organization01:19

Cadherins in Tissue Organization

The cadherins are a superfamily of cell adhesion molecules comprising over 180 variants, with specific tissues expressing a particular combination of cadherin types. Cadherins generally exhibit homophilic binding; i.e., cadherins on one cell bind to cadherins of the same or closely related type on another cell. Thus, cells of the same type have a specific affinity to bind to each other and sort themselves into clusters to form tissues.
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Determination01:51

Determination

During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In contrast, determination...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Reconstitution Of &#946;-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract
09:41

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract

Published on: June 17, 2014

Differential requirements for β-catenin during mouse development.

Stefan Rudloff1, Rolf Kemler

  • 1Max-Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Department of Molecular Embryology, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. rudloff@ie-freiburg.mpg.de

Development (Cambridge, England)
|September 20, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Restricting beta-catenin (Ctnnb1) levels reveals its critical role in Wnt signaling and gastrulation. Low levels sustain cell adhesion and pluripotency but not Wnt activation, highlighting beta-catenin

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Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling
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Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Published on: May 26, 2011

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Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Reconstitution Of &#946;-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract
09:41

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract

Published on: June 17, 2014

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling
06:55

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Published on: May 26, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Beta-catenin (Ctnnb1) is crucial for cell adhesion and canonical Wnt signaling during embryogenesis.
  • Complete loss of beta-catenin is lethal before gastrulation, but heterozygous mice are viable.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional consequences of reduced beta-catenin levels below heterozygous expression during development.
  • To determine the specific thresholds of beta-catenin required for cell adhesion, pluripotency, and Wnt signaling activation.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of embryonic stem (ES) cells and mouse embryos with restricted beta-catenin expression using the ROSA26 promoter (ROSA26(β/+) and ROSA26(β/β)).
  • Assessment of ES cell morphology, pluripotency, and Wnt target gene activation upon stimulation.
  • Analysis of embryonic development, gastrulation, and differentiation in genetically modified embryos.

Main Results:

  • Reduced beta-catenin levels (~12.5% or ~25% of wild-type) maintained ES cell morphology and pluripotency but failed to activate Wnt target genes.
  • Even very low beta-catenin levels were sufficient for cell adhesion but not for robust Wnt signaling.
  • Embryos with restricted beta-catenin showed partial rescue of knockout phenotypes but lacked proper gastrulation, suggesting high beta-catenin levels are essential for this process.
  • Post-gastrulation activation of beta-catenin expression correlated with subsequent development in a dose-dependent manner, influencing Wnt target gene induction.

Conclusions:

  • Beta-catenin levels are critical for distinct developmental processes, with adhesion and pluripotency requiring lower thresholds than Wnt signaling and gastrulation.
  • The study defines specific beta-catenin expression levels necessary for key morphogenetic events.
  • This work provides molecular insights into the dose-dependent functions of beta-catenin in embryonic development.