Article,
TGF-beta family co-receptor function and signaling
Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai), 50 (1): 12-36 (2018)Nickel, Joachim Ten Dijke, Peter Mueller, Thomas D eng Review China 2018/01/03 Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai). 2018 Jan 1;50(1):12-36. doi: 10.1093/abbs/gmx126..
DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmx126
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family members, which include TGF-betas, activins and bone morphogenetic proteins, are pleiotropic cytokines that elicit cell type-specific effects in a highly context-dependent manner in many different tissues. These secreted protein ligands signal via single-transmembrane Type I and Type II serine/threonine kinase receptors and intracellular SMAD transcription factors. Deregulation in signaling has been implicated in a broad array of diseases, and implicate the need for intricate fine tuning in cellular signaling responses. One important emerging mechanism by which TGF-beta family receptor signaling intensity, duration, specificity and diversity are regulated and/or mediated is through cell surface co-receptors. Here, we provide an overview of the co-receptors that have been identified for TGF-beta family members. While some appear to be specific to TGF-beta family members, others are shared with other pathways and provide possible ways for signal integration. This review focuses on novel functions of TGF-beta family co-receptors, which continue to be discovered.
