Wnt signaling: an essential regulator of cardiovascular differentiation, morphogenesis and progenitor self-renewal

Development. 2008 Mar;135(5):789-98. doi: 10.1242/dev.016865.

Abstract

Emerging evidence indicates that Wnt signaling regulates crucial aspects of cardiovascular biology (including cardiac morphogenesis, and the self-renewal and differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells). The ability of Wnt signaling to regulate such diverse aspects of cardiovascular development rests on the multifarious downstream and tangential targets affected by this pathway. Here, we discuss the roles for Wnt signaling in cardiac and vascular development, and focus on the emerging role of Wnt signaling in cardiovascular morphogenesis and progenitor cell self-renewal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena*
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology*
  • Cell Division / physiology*
  • Female
  • Fetal Heart / physiology
  • Mice
  • Morphogenesis / physiology*
  • Placenta / physiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Stem Cells / physiology*
  • Wnt Proteins / physiology*

Substances

  • Wnt Proteins