title: A phosphatase controls the fate of receptor-regulated Smads.
abstract: In this issue of Cell, Lin et al. (2006) answer one of the long-standing questions in the TGFbeta field by identifying a phosphatase, PPM1A, that directly dephosphorylates Smad2 and Smad3 to limit their activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Datto
authors.forename: Xiao-Fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases