Tyrosine kinase and cooperative TGFbeta signaling in the reproductive organs of Schistosoma mansoni.
Drug-induced suppression of female schistosome sexual maturation is an auspicious strategy to combat schistosomiasis since the eggs are the causative agent. The establishment of drug targets requires knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the development of the female reproductive organs, which include vitellarium and ovary. This review summarizes recent studies suggesting tyrosine kinases as important factors for the regulation of female gonad development. In this context, especially cytoplasmatic tyrosine kinases of the Src class seem to play dominant roles. Moreover, experimental data and theoretical concepts are provided supporting a crosstalk between tyrosine kinase and TGFbeta signaling in the production of vitellocytes. Finally, we take advantage from the schistosome genome project to propose a model for the regulation of vitelline-cell production and differentiation.
Knobloch
Jürgen
J
Institute for Animal Developmental and Molecular Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. knobloch@uni-duesseldorf.de
Beckmann
Svenja
S
Burmeister
Cora
C
Quack
Thomas
T
Grevelding
Christoph G
CG
D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D049751:Genome, Helminth; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000502:physiology
D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D051785:Smad Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019061:src-Family Kinases