The role of pleiotrophin and beta-catenin in fetal lung development.
Mammalian lung development is a complex biological process, which is temporally and spatially regulated by growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix proteins. Abnormal changes of these molecules often lead to impaired lung development, and thus pulmonary diseases. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are crucial for fetal lung development. This paper reviews two interconnected pathways, pleiotrophin and Wnt/beta-catenin, which are involved in fibroblast and epithelial cell communication during fetal lung development.
Weng
Tingting
T
Department of Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA.
Liu
Lin
L
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D009024:Morphogenesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C066845:pleiotrophin