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ABSTRACT: Dishevelled segment polarity protein 3 (Dvl3) is one of three homologous proteins playing crucial role in Wnt signaling. The aim of this work was to review research about these mysterious Dvl proteins, especially Dvl3, in the context of neurodevelopmental processes and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Wnt signaling, by canonical and non-canonical pathways, is involved in many processes like embryogenesis, cell differentiation, proliferation, patterning, coordination of cell polarity, migration, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and regulation of adult tissue homeostasis. Dvl proteins are intracellular crossroads which play a role in the direction of signal transduction. Although their function is important, not much is known about their regulation. There are many examples of imbalances in Dvl levels in cancer, and recently the function of these proteins has been investigated in several psychiatric disorders, mainly in animal models. Wnt pathways and Dvl proteins are modulated by some drugs, such as mood stabilizers and neuroleptics, which probably contribute to their neuroprotective properties.
Function of Dvl proteins in embryonic development and in mature organisms is pleiotropic and plays a role in the etiology of many disorders. Further research can reveal use of these important components of Wnt signaling as targets to new methods of treatment for cancer or neuropsychiatric disorders.

Keywords: Genes, Neoplasm, Mental Disorders, Neurodegenerative Diseases