Dickkopf-1 is a member of a new family of secreted proteins and functions in head induction

  • Nature. 1998 Jan 22;391(6665):357-62. doi: 10.1038/34848.
A Glinka  1 ,  W Wu ,  H Delius ,  A P Monaghan ,  C Blumenstock ,  C Niehrs
Affiliations
  • 1. Division of Molecular Embryology, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany.
PMID: 9450748 DOI: 10.1038/34848
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.

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