title: Decoding the Hedgehog signal in animal development.
abstract: The Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted proteins plays essential roles in a myriad of developmental processes via a complex signaling cascade conserved in species ranging from insects to mammals. In many developmental contexts, Hh acts as long-range morphogen to control distinct cellular outcomes as a function of its concentration. Here we review the current understanding of the Hh signaling mechanisms that govern the establishment of the Hh gradient and the transduction of the Hh signal with an emphasis on the intracellular signaling cascade from the receptor to the nuclear effector. We discuss how graded Hh signals are transduced to govern distinct developmental outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Sealy Center for Cancer Cell Biology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005544:Forecasting; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C077245:hh protein, Drosophila