Injection of antisense Wnt11 oligonucleotides results in:
Maternally encoded Wnt11 ligand normally activates canonical Wnt pathway vegetally, stabilizing beta-catenin dorsally via Dishevelled and GBP inhibiting GSK-3. Injecting antisense Wnt11 morpholino oligonucleotides depletes ligand, preventing Dishevelled activation, leaving GSK-3 active throughout embryo, causing beta-catenin degradation ubiquitously. Consequently Siamois and Xnr genes not transcribed in Nieuwkoop center, dorsal mesoderm absent, organizer fails, embryo becomes ventralized with excess blood and epidermis lacking notochord and neural plate. Rescue with stabilized beta-catenin mRNA restores organizer and secondary axis, proving Wnt11 upstream required for organizer formation and dorsal axis specification.
Ref: Gilbert, Developmental Biology, 12th ed., Chapter 9: Antisense Wnt11 leads to failure of organizer formation.