title: HGF/SF-met signaling in the control of branching morphogenesis and invasion.
abstract: Hepatocyte growth factor/Scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a multifunctional growth factor which can induce diverse biological events. In vitro, these include scattering, invasion, proliferation and branching morphogenesis. In vivo, HGF/SF is responsible for many processes during embryonic development and a variety of activities in adults, and many of these normal activities have been implicated in its role in tumorgenesis and metastasis. The c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase is the only known receptor for HGF/SF and mediates all HGF/SF induced biological activities. Upon HGF/SF stimulation, the c-Met receptor is tyrosine-phosphorylated which is followed by the recruitment of a group of signaling molecules and/or adaptor proteins to its cytoplasmic domain and its multiple docking sites. This action leads to the activation of several different signaling cascades that form a complete network of intra and extracellular responses. Different combinations of signaling pathways and signaling molecules and/or differences in magnitude of responses contribute to these diverse series of HGF/SF-Met induced activities and most certainly are influenced by cell type as well as different cellular environments. In this review, we focus on HGF/SF-induced branching morphogenesis and invasion, and bring together recent new findings which provide insight into how HGF/SF, via c-Met induces this response.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, USA.
authors.forename: Yu-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Vande Woude
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met