title: An emerging role for TOR signaling in mammalian tissue and stem cell physiology.
abstract: The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a kinase that responds to a myriad of signals, ranging from nutrient availability and energy status, to cellular stressors, oxygen sensors and growth factors. The finely tuned response of mTOR to these stimuli results in alterations to cell metabolism and cell growth. Recent studies of conditional knockouts of mTOR pathway components in mice have affirmed the role of mTOR signaling in energy balance, both at the cell and whole organism levels. Such studies have also highlighted a role for mTOR in stem cell homeostasis and lifespan determination. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of TOR signaling and review recent in vitro and in vivo studies of mTOR tissue-specific activities in mammals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0815, USA. kuguan@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Ryan C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Kun-Liang
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases