Wnt and Hedgehog signaling in vetebrate limb and skeleta

在脊椎动物胚胎发育的早期，细胞间信号传导起着重要作用。我们感兴趣的是在脊椎动物胚胎发育，特别是肢体发育和骨骼形态发生的控制Wnt和刺猬信号通路的机制的理解。在肢体发育的早期，包括Wnt和hedgehog家族成员的信号分子决定了晚期结构（即骨骼元素）形成的位置和时间。肢体中的骨骼形态发生通过软骨内骨形成发生，其中软骨细胞（它们形成软骨）和成骨细胞（它们分泌骨基质）首先从间充质凝聚分化。随后是软骨细胞和成骨细胞的连续增殖和成熟，它们受到严格的调节和协调，以确保骨骼系统的正确形态发生。其潜在的分子机制近年来才刚刚开始阐明。通过分析Wnt和hedgehog信号成分失活或异位表达的突变小鼠，我们发现Wnt5a与Indian Hedgehog（Ihh）和甲状旁腺激素相关肽平行，是从增殖软骨细胞过渡到前肥大软骨细胞所必需的。（PTHrP）。通过小鼠遗传学和体外细胞和器官培养相结合的方法，我们正在研究Wnt 5a抑制其信号并与其他信号通路相互作用以调节软骨细胞分化的机制。

Early in vertebrate embryonic development, cell-cell signaling plays important roles. We are interested in the mechanistic understanding of Wnt and hedgehog signaling pathways in the control of vertebrate embryonic development, in particular, limb development and skeletal morphogeneis. Early in limb development, signaling molecules which include the Wnt and hedgehog family members determines where and when the late structures, ie, skeletal elements will form. Skeletal morphogeneis in the limb occurs through endochondral bone formation in which chondrocytes (they form the cartilage) and osteoblasts (they secrete bone matrix) are first differentiated from mesenchymal condensations. This is followed by sequential proliferation and maturation of both chondrocytes and osteoblasts, which are tightly regulated and coordinated to ensure proper morphogenesis of the skeletal system. The underlying molecular mechanism has just begun to be elucidated in recent years. Through analyzing mutant mice in which Wnt and hedgehog signaling components are either inactivated or ectopically expressed, we have found that Wnt5a is required for the transition from proliferative chondrocytes to prehypertrophic chondrocytes in a pathway in parallel with Indian Hedgehog (Ihh) and parathyroid hormone related peptide.(PTHrP). By a combined approaches of mouse genetics and in vitro cell and organ cultures, we are studying the mechanism by which Wnt5a transduce its signal and cross-talk with other signaling pathways to regulate chondrocyte differentiation.