The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a key regulator of cell fate specification, differentiation, and growth in multiple systems throughout the animal kingdom. In vertebrate posterior neural development, Wnt/β-catenin signaling controls this complex multistep process. It initially induces the posterior regions of the nervous system, including the mid-hindbrain border, hindbrain, spinal cord and neural crest, and then subsequently fine-tunes the pattern of each region and determines the different cell fates within them. In this review, we explore the function of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during the formation of these specific posterior neural regions. We have examined the important transcriptional targets of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway acting downstream to mediate its morphogenetic activity. Different regulatory networks are activated in different posterior neural regions, and these networks induce specific neural cell types in each region. Eludidating how each of these networks specify different cell fates is crucial for understanding the basic tenets of how Wnt morphogenetic activity induces the posterior nervous system during the earliest stages of vertebrate development. Table of Contents: Introduction / Making the Neural Rear / Wnt Morphogenetic Activity in Neural Posterior Induction / Induction of the Midbrain-Hindbrain Border / Induction of the Hindbrain / Induction of the Spinal Cord / Downstream of Wnt: Hindbrain or Spinal Cord? / Neural Crest Induction / Anti-Wnt Anterior Determinants / The Role of Mesoderm and Specific Wnt Ligands in Neural Patterning / Concluding Remarks / References

A superb compilation of reviews from leading experts in the field of Wnt signaling (signaling molecules that regulate cell-to-cell interactions during embryogenesis), volume 17 in the Advances in Developmental Biology series offers 7 chapters, each devoted to a separate area of research on Wnt signaling. Written by specialists in the field, these chapters cover different levels of signaling, including: ligands, receptors, cytoplasmic and nuclear components of the pathway. This book discusses a number of model systems including mice, Drosophila, Xenopus, zebrafish, C. elegans, and mammalian cells. Together, these chapters review the available knowledge and will fill gaps in our understanding of this interesting network of cell signaling processes.* Includes two parts devoted to the canonical (beta-catenin dependent) and non-canonical branches of Wnt signalling to the cytoskeleton* Offers insight to large genomic data that are now available for the analysis of Wnt gene targets* Discusses regulators of the cytoskeleton such as small GTPAses of the Rho family, jun-N-terminal kinases and other MAP kinases, and proteins involved in the generation of cell polarity

Wnt Signaling in Stem Cells, Development and Regeneration, Volume 153, delves into the biology of Wnt signaling in a wide variety of model organisms. Since their first identification in 1982, Wnt proteins and their downstream effectors have captivated the attention of many researchers in a variety of fields, including developmental biology, cell signaling, structural biology, stem and cancer cell biology and regeneration. Wnt signaling, along with a small number of highly conserved signaling modules including the Hedgehog, FGF, BMP, RA and Notch pathways, orchestrates morphogenesis across all metazoans. Readers will find information on recent discoveries in the Wnt field, including interactions between Wnt and other signaling pathways, and tools and technologies to interrogate the complexity of Wnt signaling. Other chapters cover Wnt signaling in Xenopus neural development, Wnt signaling in hematopoietic stem cell development, Wnt signaling and the maintenance and regeneration of the gut epithelium, Wnt signaling in the skeleton as a basis for Wnt-based regenerative medicine, and Non-canonical Wnt5a-Ror signaling: Insights from human congenital disorders and cancer. - Presents newest findings on the role of Wnt signaling in a variety of tissues and organisms - Illustrates the diverse actions of Wnt signaling in development and disease - Highlight tools and technologies to interrogate Wnt signaling in any biological system

Wnt genes code for a family of secreted glycoproteins which fulfil important functions during the development of vertebrates and invertebrates. Wnts regulate as different aspects as differentiation, proliferation, cell migration, and cell polarity. Wnt proteins are able to activate different intracellular signaling cascades. This book describes different aspects of Wnt signaling during development of different species like the mouse, Xenopus, chicken, C. elegans or Drosophila and in different cellular contexts like heart formation or limb bud patterning. By doing such, this book provides, for the first time in printed form, an overview of the function of Wnt proteins during development. This book will be of interest to all professionals in the field of Wnt signaling, signal transduction or animal development.

Atlas of Early Zebrafish Brain Development: A Tool for Molecular Neurogenetics, Second Edition, remains the only neuroanatomical expression atlas of important genetic and immunohistochemical markers of this vertebrate model system. It represents a key reference and interpretation matrix for analyzing expression domains of genes involved in Zebrafish brain development and neurogenesis, and serves as a continuing milestone in this research area. This updated volume provides in-situ hybridized and immunostained preparations of complete series of brain sections, revealing markers of the fundamental stages in the life history of neuronal cells in very high quality preparations and photographic plates. Specific additions to this edition include documentation on the distribution of neurons expressing GABA, dopamine and serotonin, material on the basal ganglia, hypothalamus, and the caudal, segmented part of the diencephalon, new theories on the early organization of the telencephalon and thalamus, and integration of a comparative perspective on the mid- and hindbrain. - Documentation on the distribution of neurons expressing GABA, dopamine and serotonin - Material on the basal ganglia, hypothalamus, and the caudal, segmented part of the diencephalon - New theories about the early organization of the telencephalon and thalamus - Integration of a comparative perspective on the mid- and hindbrain