Summary of the science
Wnt signal transduction is like a complicated dance that happens on the surface of our cells. "Wnt" is a special type of protein that acts as a signal, like a messenger, to tell the cells what to do. The word "transduction" means the process of passing or relaying signals. So, in this dance, the Wnt proteins are sending signals to the cells, and the cells have special proteins called receptors, that receive these signals and start a chain reaction inside the cells. It's like the cells are getting instructions on how to act and what to do next. In general WNT signalling is important for the proper development and maintenance of tissues and organs in the body. When it doesn't function properly, it can have significant implications for human health, making it an important area of scientific research and potential therapies.
About the research
Niehrs and his team wanted to understand the complexity of WNT signalling. The WNT ligand binds to a receptor, such as one belonging to the Frizzled family, which activates a change within the cell. There are now over 15 receptors and co-receptors belonging to seven protein families that interact with the 19 WNT proteins. This creates an intricate network of interactions, forming higher-order complexes that transmit signals inside cells. Signal transduction is regulated through processes such as phosphorylation, proteolytic processing, and endocytosis. Currently the Niehrs group focuses on studying DNA demethylation mechanisms, using mouse and Xenopus embryos and mouse embryonic stem cells as models.
About the illustration
Here we have illustrated WNT signalling with each of its components. The WNT ligand is represented by the u-shaped structure, which is shown to bind to the receptor, the undulating structure in the cellular membrane (similar to the Frizzled family). All cellular components that are located within the cell we drew in white, to better distinguish from the components outside the cell outlined in black.