Developmental Biology II: The Role of WNT Signaling in Bone Regeneration

Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) signaling is an important regulator of bone development and regeneration. Wnts are short-range signaling molecules which act within the skeletal stem cell niche to influence cell proliferation and differentiation. Nineteen different Wnts have been identified in humans. Disruptions to Wnt signaling can lead to impairments in bone healing. Recent work has elucidated the complexities of Wnt signaling during bone development, repair, and regeneration, and highlighted its value as a potential therapeutic target for tissue regeneration. Here, we discuss the role of the canonical-Wnt-signaling pathway, its regulatory role in bone regeneration, and the recent clinical advance made towards its manipulation in regenerative medicine. This review contains 3 figures and 50 references. Keywords: osteogenesis, bone regeneration, bone remodeling, endochondral ossification, osteoblast, osteoprogenitor, lithium, fracture healing