How the Wnt5a‑Ror system shapes body, limb, and face development
Function and regulatory mechanisms of the Wnt5a-Ror morphogenetic pathway
Researchers are working to understand how the Wnt5a‑Ror signaling system controls body and limb shape to help people with Robinow syndrome and related birth differences.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258884 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at how the Wnt5a ligand and the Ror/Frizzled receptor complex send signals that guide cell and tissue shape during development. Scientists will study how mutations in ROR2 and DVL proteins change those signals, using biochemical tests, 3D cell cultures, and animal models to connect molecules to tissue outcomes. The team will compare normal and disease-linked versions of these proteins to map the steps that go wrong in Robinow syndrome. Findings will link molecular mechanisms to the physical shortening and widening seen in affected people and animals.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with a clinical diagnosis of Robinow syndrome or known mutations in WNT5A, ROR2, FZD2, DVL1, or DVL3 who are willing to share medical histories or biological samples would be the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to Wnt5a‑Ror signaling (for example common adult-onset diseases) are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify the molecular causes of Robinow syndrome and point to targets for future diagnostics or therapies for congenital shape defects.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic links between Wnt5a‑Ror pathway genes and Robinow syndrome are established, but the detailed biochemical and cytoskeletal mechanisms being studied here remain largely novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ho, Hsin-Yi Henry — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Ho, Hsin-Yi Henry
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.