The Wnt Co-Receptor PTK7/Otk and Its Homolog Otk-2 in Neurogenesis and Patterning

Abstract

Wnt signaling is a highly conserved metazoan pathway that plays a crucial role in cell fate determination and morphogenesis during development. Wnt ligands can induce disparate cellular responses. The exact mechanism behind these different outcomes is not fully understood but may be due to interactions with different receptors on the cell membrane. PTK7/Otk is a transmembrane receptor that is implicated in various developmental and physiological processes including cell polarity, cell migration, and invasion. Here, we examine two roles of Otk-1 and Otk-2 in patterning and neurogenesis. We find that Otk-1 is a positive regulator of signaling and Otk-2 functions as its inhibitor. We propose that PTK7/Otk functions in signaling, cell migration, and polarity contributing to the diversity of cellular responses seen in Wnt-mediated processes.