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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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract
09:41

Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract

Published on: June 17, 2014

Animal development: an ancient β-catenin switch?

Stephan Q Schneider1, Bruce Bowerman

  • 1Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, 503 Science Hall II, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. sqs@iastate.edu

Current Biology : CB
|April 27, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

High and low nuclear levels of β-catenin regulate cell fate during early embryogenesis. This conserved transcriptional regulator specifies endoderm and mesoderm in chordate embryos, distinguishing sister cell fates.

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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 12, 2026

Reconstitution Of β-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
  • Chordate embryogenesis
  • Molecular regulation of cell fate

Background:

  • β-catenin is a conserved transcriptional regulator crucial for cell-cell adhesion and signaling.
  • Early embryogenesis involves precise cell fate decisions to form distinct germ layers.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing cell fate specification is fundamental in developmental biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of nuclear β-catenin levels in specifying sister cell fates.
  • To determine how β-catenin distinguishes endoderm and mesoderm formation in chordate embryos.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of cell fate specification during early chordate development.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of nuclear β-catenin levels in embryonic cells.
  • Assessing sister cell fates through lineage tracing.
  • Investigating the function of β-catenin in endoderm and mesoderm specification.

Main Results:

  • Distinct high and low nuclear β-catenin levels were observed.
  • These differential β-catenin levels correlated with specific sister cell fates.
  • The findings demonstrate β-catenin's role in specifying endoderm and mesoderm.

Conclusions:

  • Nuclear β-catenin levels are critical determinants of sister cell fates in chordate embryos.
  • β-catenin acts as a key regulator specifying endoderm and mesoderm during early development.
  • This study provides insights into the conserved mechanisms of cell fate specification.