Chai Y, Ito Y, Han J
Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, 2250 Alcazar Street, CSA 103, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Crit Rev Oral Biol Med. 2003;14(2):78-88. doi: 10.1177/154411130301400202.
Members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, and control the development and maintenance of most tissues. TGF-beta signal is transmitted through the phosphorylation of Smad proteins by TGF-beta receptor serine/threonine kinase. During craniofacial development, TGF-beta may regulate the fate specification of cranial neural crest cells. These cells are multipotent progenitors and capable of producing diverse cell types upon differentiation. Here we summarize evidence that TGF-beta ligands and their signaling intermediates have significant roles in patterning and specification of cranial neural crest cells. The biological function of TGF-beta is carried out through the regulation of transcriptional factors during embryogenesis.
转化生长因子-β（TGF-β）超家族成员调节细胞增殖、分化和凋亡，并控制大多数组织的发育和维持。TGF-β信号通过TGF-β受体丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶对Smad蛋白的磷酸化来传递。在颅面发育过程中，TGF-β可能调节颅神经嵴细胞的命运特化。这些细胞是多能祖细胞，分化后能够产生多种细胞类型。在这里，我们总结了证据表明TGF-β配体及其信号中间体在颅神经嵴细胞的模式形成和特化中具有重要作用。TGF-β的生物学功能是通过在胚胎发生过程中调节转录因子来实现的。
