Ligand for the frizzled7 transmembrane receptor. Primarily acts via non-canonical Wnt pathways mediated by either Ca(2+) and PKC, or by JNK and dvl2/dsh. Depending on the cellular context, can also signal via the canonical Wnt pathway mediated by beta-catenin and dvl2/dsh. May also inhibit canonical Wnt signaling. Maternally initiates dorsal/ventral axis formation by a canonical route, which signals via lrp6. In a complex with wnt5a, activates the canonical and non-canonical processes involved in axis formation. In the non-canonical pathway, acts through fzd7/fz7 to induce phosphorylation of dvl2/dsh. Signals through a non-canonical Wnt pathway to regulate convergent extension movements during gastrulation. Interactions with the secreted Wnt antagonist sfrp5 to coordinate foregut development, acting via a non-canonical Wnt pathway whereby sfrp5 restricts wnt11b activity to prevent inappropriate foregut formation. Mediates cardiogenesis via non-canonical Wnt signaling involving JNK-activation and PKC. Acts redundantly with wnt11/wnt11r during pronephros induction. Homodimer. Secreted homodimers form a complex with wnt5a homodimers; tyrosine sulfation of both wnt11 and wnt5a by tpst1 is required for this interaction. Interacts with the transmembrane receptor fzd7/fz7. Interacts with lrp6 and ryk. Interacts with tdgf1/frl1. Interacts weakly with frzb1 and strongly with frzb2/crescent. Interaction with frzb2/crescent antagonizes wnt11 function in the neuroectoderm, but enhances it in mesodermal tissue. Transcripts are expressed ubiquitously in early oocytes but become vegetally localized during mid-oogenesis then enriched on the dorsal side by the 8 to 16 cell stage. The protein becomes asymmetrically concentrated on the dorsal side by the 64-cell stage. During gastrulation, expressed in the lateral and ventral marginal zone, and during tadpole stages in the somites and first branchial arch. Weakly expressed in the pronephros from at least stage 12.5, with kidney expression increasing until stage 35. Expressed in the prospective posterior gut between stages 13 and 20, and in the deep foregut endoderm. Prior to neural crest cell migration, expressed in a domain flanking the neural crest on the lateral or epidermal side (the opposite side to wnt11/wnt11-r). Expressed both maternally and zygotically in oocytes and embryos through to swimming tadpole stages. By t/xbra. By gata4 and gata6. Repressed by zbtb33/kaiso. Glycosylation is required for protein secretion. Palmitoleoylation is required for efficient binding to frizzled receptors. Depalmitoleoylation leads to Wnt signaling pathway inhibition. Xenopus and other lower vertebrates contain duplicated wnt11 genes resulting from an ancient gene duplication event, but the second copy has since been lost in mammals. This gene was originally called wnt-11 (PubMed:8306880) but was renamed to wnt11b (PubMed:17436276) after the discovery of wnt11r (now called wnt11). Belongs to the Wnt family. PubMed:11159911 show a lack of role in heart induction but PubMed:12167861 show a role in heart formation; the discrepancy may be due to duplication of Xenopus wnt11 genes.