Wnt-dependent mechanism of the apical constriction of roof plate cells in developing mouse spinal cord

Apical constriction of epithelial cells usually occurs in a local portion of epithelial sheet, which results in bending of epithelial tissues. However, it is uncertain whether diffusible signal molecules, like Wnt, regulate such locally restricted events. Here, we show that Wnt ligands are required for apical constriction of Wnt1-expressing roof plate (RP) cells during development of the neural tube. Analysis of Wntless conditional knock-out (cKO) embryos, in which Wnt secretion from...