title: TGF-beta signal transduction in oro-facial health and non-malignant disease (part I).
abstract: The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of cytokines consists of multi-functional polypeptides that regulate a variety of cell processes, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, extracellular matrix elaboration, angiogenesis, and immune suppression, among others. In so doing, TGF-beta plays a key role in the control of cell behavior in both health and disease. In this report, we review what is known about the mechanisms of activation of the peptide, together with details of TGF-beta signal transduction pathways. This review summarizes the evidence implicating TGF-beta in normal physiological processes of the craniofacial complex-such as palatogenesis, tooth formation, wound healing, and scarring-and then evaluates its role in non-malignant disease processes such as scleroderma, submucous fibrosis, periodontal disease, and lichen planus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Dental Science, Division of Oral Medicine, Pathology and Microbiology, Bristol Dental Hospital and School, University of Bristol, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol BS1 2LY, UK. Stephen.prime@bristol.ac.uk <Stephen.prime@bristol.ac.uk>
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Prime
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pring
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Paterson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000196:embryology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051785:Smad Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051785:Smad Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta