Wnt7b is required for epithelial progenitor growth and operates during epithelial-to-mesenchymal signaling in pancreatic development.

Wnt signaling is a well conserved pathway critical for growth, patterning and differentiation of multiple tissues and organs. Previous studies on Wnt signaling in the pancreas have been based predominantly on downstream pathway effector genes such as β-catenin. We here provide evidence that the canonical-pathway member Wnt7b is a physiological regulator of pancreatic progenitor cell growth.