Laboratorio de Toxicología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
Front Cell Neurosci. 2013 Jul 4;7:103. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00103. eCollection 2013.
The Wnt signaling pathway plays a role in the development of the central nervous system and growing evidence indicates that Wnts also regulates the structure and function of the adult nervous system. Wnt components are key regulators of a variety of developmental processes, including embryonic patterning, cell specification, and cell polarity. In the nervous system, Wnt signaling also regulates the formation and function of neuronal circuits by controlling neuronal differentiation, axon outgrowth and guidance, dendrite development, synaptic function, and neuronal plasticity. Wnt factors can signal through three very well characterized cascades: canonical or β-catenin pathway, planar cell polarity pathway and calcium pathway that control different processes. However, divergent downstream cascades have been identified to control neuronal morphogenesis. In the nervous system, the expression of Wnt proteins is a highly controlled process. In addition, deregulation of Wnt signaling has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we will review different aspects of neuronal and dendrite maturation, including spinogenesis and synaptogenesis. Finally, the role of Wnt pathway components on Alzheimer's disease will be revised.
Wnt 信号通路在中枢神经系统的发育中起作用，越来越多的证据表明 Wnts 也调节成年神经系统的结构和功能。Wnt 成分是多种发育过程的关键调节剂，包括胚胎模式形成、细胞特化和细胞极性。在神经系统中，Wnt 信号还通过控制神经元分化、轴突生长和导向、树突发育、突触功能和神经元可塑性来调节神经元回路的形成和功能。Wnt 因子可以通过三个非常特征化的级联途径信号传递：经典或β-连环蛋白途径、平面细胞极性途径和钙途径，它们控制不同的过程。然而，已经确定了不同的下游级联途径来控制神经元形态发生。在神经系统中，Wnt 蛋白的表达是一个高度受控的过程。此外，Wnt 信号的失调与神经退行性疾病有关。在这里，我们将回顾神经元和树突成熟的不同方面，包括棘突发生和突触发生。最后，将修订 Wnt 途径成分在阿尔茨海默病中的作用。
