Wnt5afl/fl floxed mice possess loxP sites flanking exon 2 of the wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5A (Wnt5a) gene. WNT5A is a member of the Wnt family of secreted proteins expressed in sympathetic neurons during target innervation. It is a ligand for members of the frizzled family of seven transmembrane receptors and is able to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling as well as activate alternative non-beta-catenin dependent signaling pathways. WNT5A induces axon branching in cultured sympathetic neurons. Homozygous mice are viable and fertile. When bred to mice that express tissue-specific Cre recombinase, resulting offspring will have exon 2 deleted in the cre-expressing tissues.
When bred to B6.Cg-Tg(Wnt1-cre)11Rth Tg(Wnt1-GAL4)11Rth/J mice
(Stock No. 009107), expressing cre in pluripotent neural crest cells and glial cells in the peripheral nervous system starting at E8.5, resulting offspring exhibit craniofacial abnormalities and died within a few hours after birth. They also have defects in the extension and branching of sympathetic fibers within the salivary glands, thymus, heart, spleen, and bladder starting at E16.5.
