Wingless Type MMTV Integration Site Family, Member 11 (WNT11)

WNT11 is the Ligand for members of the frizzled family of seven transmembrane receptors. Probable developmental protein. May be a signaling molecule which affects the development of discrete regions of tissues. Is likely to signal over only few cell diameters.

WNT11 is a member of the WNT gene family. It encodes a protein which shows 97%, 85%, and 63% amino acid identity with mouse, chicken, and Xenopus Wnt11 protein, respectively. This gene may play roles in the development of skeleton, kidney and lung, and is considered to be a plausible candidate gene for High Bone Mass Syndrome.

The predicted 354-amino acid protein shared 97%, 85%, and 63% identity with mouse, chicken, and Xenopus Wnt11, respectively. In situ hybridization to embryos indicated that, like mouse Wnt11, human WNT11 is expressed in the tips of ureteric buds and in the perichondrium, a stem cell-like layer that surrounds the future bones and directs their growth and regeneration.