Frzb-1

Frzb-1 Is a Secreted Antagonist of Wnt Signaling

Expressed in the Spemann Organizer

Luc Leyns, Tewis Bouwmeester, Sung-Hyun Kim, Stefano Piccolo

and Eddy M. De Robertis.

Cell 88, 747-756 (1997)

Abstract: Frzb-1 is a secreted protein containing a domain similar to the putative Wnt-binding region of the frizzled family of transmembrane receptors. Frzb-1 is widely expressed in adult mammalian tissues. In the Xenopus gastrula, it is expressed and regulated as a typical Spemann organizer component. Injection of -1 mRNA blocks expression of XMyoD mRNA and leads to embryos with enlarged heads and shortened trunks. Frzb-1 antagonizes the effects of Xwnt-8 ectopic expression in a non-cell-autonomous manner. Cultured cells transfected with a membrane-tethered form of Wnt-1 bind epitope-tagged Frzb-1 in the 10-10M range. The results strengthen the view that the Spemann organizer is a source of secreted inhibitory factors.

[Xenopus Frzb]Frzb expression in Xenopus
[Mouse Frzb]Frzb expression in the mouse
[Role of Frzb]The Model
[Frzb like]Frzb-like genes