Wingless-type mice mammary tumour virus integration site family glycoprotein is a set of signal molecules regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, cell polarity and cell mobility. Most members of the family is involved in lip and palatal development, and closely related to cleft lip and palate. WNT-3 gene is located in chromosome 17q21, the protein mainly act through the canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway to regulate the development of the lip and palate. WNT-3A gene is located in chromoosome 1q24, and is mainly expressed in the placenta, trachea, lung and connective tissue, it’s protein affect the palatal fusion process and craniofacial development by regulating palatal mesenchymal cells and neural crest cells. WNT-5A gene is located in chromosome 3p21-14, it’s protein regulate the development of the palate through the Ror2-mediated non-canonical signal pathway. WNT-9B gene is located in chromosome 17q21, and is mainly expressed in the maxillary process, medial nasal process, and the ectoderm of the lateral nasal process, knock out of the gene will lead to cleft lip and cleft palate. WNT-11 gene is located in chromosome 11q13.5, it’s protein is expressed the medialedge epithelium, affecting the palatal fusion by promoting programmed cell death, the cross-talk of WNT-11/FGFR1b regulates the development of the palate. Studying the WNT family can provide further ideas to reveal the cause and mechanism of cleft lip and palate.
