Cell autonomous antagonist of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. May activate a second Wnt signaling pathway that controls planar cell polarity. Required for neuroblast specification. Interacts with dsh. This interaction may be stabilized by zinc. Highly expressed from 2-8 hours after egg laying (AEL). Expressed in broad anterior and posterior domains in stage 6 embryos (late cellular blastoderm). Almost ubiquitous in stage 8/9 embryos with higher levels anterior to the hh/en stripe. This anterior bias persists in stage 10 embryos. Absent from hh/en-producing cells. Expressed in the wing margins of third instar larvae. Expression in embryos and imaginal disks is induced by activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Belongs to the NKD family.