Internalization, Wnt can't do without

Abstract

The Wnt signaling pathway is an evolutionary conserved intercellular signaling mechanism. Wnt signaling has many important biological functions, for instance in developmental patterning, stem cell maintenance and tissue regeneration. Aberrant Wnt signaling is implicated in many forms of cancer. Internalization pathways have important functions in many signal transduction pathways. Internalization is also important for Wnt signaling. Endocytosis is essential for Wnt secretion, for the formation of a Wnt gradient and for Wnt signal transduction in the Wnt receiving cell. The role of endocytosis in all steps of Wnt signaling will be discussed in this thesis.