Dorsal-Ventral patterning: Crescent is a dorsally secreted Frizzled-related protein that competitively inhibits Tolloid proteases

► Crescent is a dorsally secreted Frizzled-Related Protein (sFRP), related to Sizzled, expressed in the developing gastrula and known to regulate Wnt signaling. ► We now report that Crescent also regulates the BMP pathway required for Dorsal-Ventral (D-V) patterning. ► Crescent regulates the Chordin/BMP pathway by competitively inhibiting Tolloid proteinases, the enzymes that degrade Chordin. ► We propose that Crescent and Sizzled cooperate in vivo, from opposite poles of the embryo, to fine-tune the D-V BMP signaling gradient during development.