... with the contralateral descended testis (CDT) showing no A-dark spermatogonia. To improve our understanding of the etiology of infertility in UDT, we generated a novel murine model of left unilateral UDT. Gubernaculum-specific Wnt4 knockout (KO) mice ( Wnt4 -cKO) were generated using retinoic acid receptor β2- cre mice...

... and differentiation of hormone receptor expressing (HR + ) luminal cells. Consequently, Wnt4-mediated crosstalk between HR + luminal cells and basal epithelial cells is compromised during gland remodeling, and results in defective epithelial growth. The effects of Lama5 deletion on gland growth and branching can...

... cryptorchidism with severe gubernacular defects and progressive loss of germ cells resulting in infertility and, in rare cases, testicular tumors. It was hypothesized that germ cell depletion resulted from an increase in WNT4 levels. To test this hypothesis, the phenotype of a double-null mouse model lacking...

... the role of Notch during nephron segmentation, we employed Wnt4GFPcre . Wnt4 is one of the earliest genes to be activated during the differentiation of nephron progenitors ( Park et al., 2007 ; Stark et al., 1994 ). We have previously shown that Wnt/β-catenin signaling initiates the differentiation...

.... Our results show that E-cadherin is intensely expressed in germline cysts, and that its decline is necessary for oocyte release from the cyst. However, inhibition of JNK signaling leads to aberrantly enhanced localization of E-cadherin at oocyte-oocyte contact sites. WNT4 expression is upregulated...

... is activated by the expression of the Y-linked gene Sry , which promotes cell proliferation and differentiation of Sertoli cells, the supporting cells of the testis. In absence of Sry (XX individuals), activation of WNT/CTNNB1 signalling, via the upregulation of Rspo1 and Wnt4 , promotes ovarian...

...) is secreted by the fetal testes and induces regression of the Müllerian ducts, the primordia of the female reproductive tract organs. Currently, the molecular identity of downstream events regulated by the AMH signaling pathway remains unclear. We found that male-specific Wnt4 expression in mouse Müllerian...

... to a time window of only 6 hours after the normal onset of Sry expression in XY gonads. If Sry was activated after 11.3 dpc, Sox9 activation was not maintained, resulting in ovarian development. This time window is delimited by the ability to engage the high-FGF9/low-WNT4 signaling states required...

... of Fgf2 and Tgfα to the culture media induces survival of clusters of progenitors. ( C ) These aggregates express Wnt4 as detected by in situ hybridization. ( D ) After continued culture with Fgf2 and Tgfα, mesenchymes degenerate without differentiating into epithelia.( E-J ) NHBF, Lif or NGAL, when...

..., the salivary gland responds to a WNT4-Frizzled signal for proper positioning within the embryo. Disruption of this signal, through mutations in Wnt4, frizzled or frizzled 2 , results in misguided salivary glands that curve ventrally. Furthermore, disruption of downstream components of the canonical Wnt pathway...

... 2006 © 2007. 2007 Notch Rbp-J Wnt4 Proximal tubule Podocytes Nephron segmentation Mouse The kidney is an essential excretory organ that maintains osmotic,acid-base and electrolyte equilibrium. The crucial importance of the kidney makes it a common target of systemic diseases...

... hypoplasia with deficient nephron formation. In mutant kidneys, aberrant cell death occurs within the metanephric mesenchyme (MM),particularly in the cortical nephrogenic zone, which provides the progenitors for recurring rounds of nephron formation. Prior to mutant morphological changes, Wnt4 and Lim1...

... signaling, nephron formation is initiated, but the nascent nephrons do not express Wnt4 or Lim1 , and nephrogenesis does not progress to the S-shaped body stage. Furthermore, the nephron progenitor cells that reside in the peripheral zone, the outermost region of the developing kidney, are progressively...

... (AMH) Wnt4 Mouse The mammalian female reproductive tract is an organ system that is composed of the oviducts, uterus, cervix and vagina. The primary role of this organ system is reproduction, i.e. the continuation of the species. The female reproductive tract organs are also a significant...