The Localization of β-catenin During Xenopus Kidney Development: A Look into β-catenin's Role in Kidney Development

<p>Wnt signaling is a conserved cell communication system that drives embryonic development. Wnt pathways regulate a variety of developmental processes, including cell migration, proliferation, and fate determination. Dysregulation of Wnt signaling can lead to developmental disorders and diseases. The primary Wnt trajectory: canonical signaling regulates transcription through β-catenin. β-catenin coordinates cell-cell adhesion: β-catenin interacts with cadherins to link cell junctions to the cytoskeleton. However, the dynamic localization of β-catenin is still poorly understood. This research will help gain a deeper understanding of junctional mechanisms that may regulate the Wnt pathways and the possible biological mechanisms that could lead to developmental abnormalities. In vivo, visualization of β-catenin in Xenopus laevis embryos using a novel chromobody will enable unprecedented evaluation of how the canonical pathway influences β-catenin localization in the developing pronephric kidney in real-time. Future studies will determine how inhibitory/overexpression factors influence β-catenin localization in the pronephros. These studies will facilitate a deeper understanding of the canonical pathway in organogenesis.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Masters of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (MS)

Year dc:date.available

2025

Authors dc:creator

• Moss, Amaya
• <p>0009-0004-7025-0272</p>

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rachel K. Miller, PhD
• Kendra Carmon, PhD
• Jae-il Park, PhD

• Wnt
• Xenopus
• Pronephros
• Kidney
• Development
• β-Catenin
• Biology
• Cell Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Genetics
• Nephrology
• Other Cell and Developmental Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/utgsbs_dissertations/1500

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu:utgsbs_dissertations-2557