in ▁fil aments . ▁This ▁is ▁possible ▁because ▁α - c aten in ▁and ▁cad her ins ▁bind ▁at ▁distinct ▁sites ▁to ▁ β - c aten in . ▁The ▁ β - c aten in ▁– ▁α - c aten in ▁complex ▁can ▁thus ▁phys ically ▁form ▁a ▁bridge ▁between ▁cad her ins ▁and ▁the ▁act in ▁c yt os ke leton . ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁cad her in – c aten in ▁complex ▁is ▁addition ally ▁reg ulated ▁through ▁ph osph ory lation ▁and ▁end oc yt osis ▁of ▁its ▁components . ▁ ▁R oles ▁in ▁development ▁▁ ▁B eta - c aten in ▁has ▁a ▁central ▁role ▁in ▁direct ing ▁several ▁development al ▁processes , ▁as ▁it ▁can ▁directly ▁bind ▁trans cription ▁factors ▁and ▁be ▁reg ulated ▁by ▁a ▁diffus ible ▁ext rac ell ular ▁subst ance : ▁W nt . ▁It ▁acts ▁upon ▁early ▁emb ry os ▁to ▁indu ce ▁entire ▁body ▁regions , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁individual ▁cells ▁in ▁later ▁stages ▁of ▁development . ▁It ▁also ▁regul ates ▁phys i ological ▁reg ener ation ▁processes . ▁ ▁Early ▁emb ry onic ▁pattern ing ▁▁ ▁W nt ▁signal ing ▁and ▁beta - c aten in ▁dependent ▁gene ▁expression ▁plays ▁a ▁critical ▁role ▁during ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁different ▁body ▁regions ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁emb ry o . ▁Ex periment ally ▁modified ▁emb ry os ▁that ▁do ▁not ▁express ▁this ▁protein ▁will ▁fail ▁to ▁develop ▁mes od erm ▁and ▁initi ate ▁g astr ulation . ▁During ▁the ▁bl ast ula