Abstract
The Spemann organizer in amphibian embryos is a tissue with potent head-inducing activity, the molecular nature of which is unresolved. Here we describe dickkopf-1 (dkk-1), which encodes Dkk-1, a secreted inducer of Spemann's organizer in Xenopus and a member of a new protein family. Injections of mRNA and antibody indicate that dkk-1 is sufficient and necessary to cause head induction. dkk-1 s a potent antagonist of Wnt signalling, suggesting that dkk genes encode a family of secreted Wnt inhibitors.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cloning, Molecular
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Embryonic Development
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Embryonic Induction*
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Head / embryology
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Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Multigene Family
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Proteins / genetics
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Proteins / metabolism
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Proteins / physiology*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
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Signal Transduction
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Wnt Proteins
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Xenopus
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Xenopus Proteins
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Zebrafish Proteins*
Substances
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Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Proteins
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins
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Wnt Proteins
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Xenopus Proteins
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Zebrafish Proteins
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dkk1 protein, Xenopus
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dkk1b protein, zebrafish
Associated data
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GENBANK/AF030433
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GENBANK/AF030434