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JNK functions in the non‐canonical Wnt pathway to regulate convergent extension movements in vertebrates
Author(s) -
Yamanaka Hiroaki,
Moriguchi Tetsuo,
Masuyama Norihisa,
Kusakabe Morioh,
Hanafusa Hiroshi,
Takada Ritsuko,
Takada Shinji,
Nishida Eisuke
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1093/embo-reports/kvf008
Subject(s) - convergent extension , wnt signaling pathway , xenopus , gastrulation , biology , vertebrate , microbiology and biotechnology , cell polarity , polarity (international relations) , signal transduction , cell , genetics , gene , embryo , embryogenesis
Recent genetic studies in Drosophila identified a novel non‐canonical Wnt pathway, the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, that signals via JNK to control epithelial cell polarity in Drosophila . Most recently, a pathway regulating convergent extension movements during gastrulation in vertebrate embryos has been shown to be a vertebrate equivalent of the PCP pathway. However, it is not known whether the JNK pathway functions in this non‐canonical Wnt pathway to regulate convergent extension movements in vertebrates. In addition, it is not known whether JNK is in fact activated by Wnt stimulation. Here we show that Wnt5a is capable of activating JNK in cultured cells, and present evidence that the JNK pathway mediates the action of Wnt5a to regulate convergent extension movements in Xenopus . Our results thus demonstrate that the non‐canonical Wnt/JNK pathway is conserved in both vertebrate and invertebrate and define that JNK has an activity to regulate morphogenetic cell movements.