Wnt/β-catenin alterations are prominent in human malignancies. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), β-catenin and APC mutations are uncommon, but Wnt signaling is important in NSCLC cell lines, and Wnt inhibition reduces proliferation. Overexpression of Wnt-1, -2, -3, and -5a and of Wnt-pathway components Frizzled-8, Dishevelled, Porcupine, and TCF-4 is common in resected NSCLC and is associa...

We know a great deal about the mechanisms controlling common cellular processes, but still do not understand how cells communicate to ensure that they stretch in a coordinate manner. For instance, C. elegans embryonic morphogenesis relies on cell shape changes within the epidermis and on epidermis-muscles interactions. I will illustrate the importance of forces and tension during morphogenesis ...

GENE HUNTING, SIGNALING NETWORK, AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE In the 20th century, most researchers investigated WNT signaling in cell and developmental biology by using model animals, such as Drosophila, Xenopus, and mouse. However, I was confident that WNT signaling should be investigated for clinical application by using human samples or cell lines. In 1998, I, together with post-doctoral fellows,...