WNT3A Human

The WNT3A gene is located on chromosome 1q42.13 and contains four exons spanning approximately 53 kb of genomic DNA . The gene encodes a protein of 352 amino acids, which includes an N-linked glycosylation site and conserved residues typical of the Wnt family . The WNT3A protein shares 84.9% sequence identity with human WNT3 .

Expression of WNT3A is detected at moderate levels in the placenta and at low levels in adult lung, spleen, and prostate tissues . Interestingly, no expression of WNT3A has been observed in any of the 35 cancer cell lines examined .

WNT3A is involved in several key developmental processes. For instance, it plays a significant role in neural patterning by acting directly and in a graded manner on anterior neural cells to induce their differentiation into caudal forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain cells . Additionally, WNT3A, in combination with FGF8, induces the expression of Wnt8c in rostral forebrain cells .

In the context of telencephalic cells, WNT3A inhibits the generation of ventral telencephalic cells and is required to induce early dorsal characterization at the neural plate stage . Sequential signaling of WNT3A and FGF8 is necessary for the definitive characterization of dorsal telencephalic cells .

Recombinant human WNT3A is produced using Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines and is available in high purity forms for research purposes . The recombinant protein is used to study its effects on various cell types, including its ability to induce alkaline phosphatase production in mouse preosteoblast cells and Topflash reporter activity in human embryonic kidney cells .

The recombinant protein is typically lyophilized and reconstituted in sterile PBS for use in various applications. It is essential to determine the optimal concentrations for each specific application, as they may vary based on cell type and other factors .