Regulation of cell cycle dynamics and mitosis by Wnt signaling

Abstract

The cell cycle and cell division are processes that need to be highly controlled in order for organisms to function and to prevent diseases. Cell behavior is controlled through many different signaling pathways, wherein external signals are internalized and trigger a cascade of signaling events within the cell, resulting in a cellular response. The Wnt signaling pathway is an important regulator of cell proliferation, tissue development and homeostasis. Wnt signaling can mainly regulate cell behavior by controlling target gene transcription. However, Wnt signaling can also directly regulate the microtubule cytoskeleton. It is becoming increasingly clearer that Wnt signaling can affect the cell cycle and mitosis at various points. While Wnt signaling controls G1/S phase progression, the cell cycle can control the amplitude of Wnt signaling in G2/M phase, highlighting a bidirectional relationship between Wnt signaling and the cell cycle. Furthermore, Wnt signaling is an important regulator of cell size during interphase and plays numerous roles during mitosis and cell division. In this review, we first discuss the complexity of Wnt signaling by highlighting the different Wnt signaling pathways. Next, we discuss the effects of Wnt signaling on the cell cycle, and vice versa. Lastly, we discuss how Wnt signaling controls mitotic progression, and highlight a role of Wnt signaling in abscission, the last stage of cell division.