title: Signaling moderation: TGF-β in exocrine gland development, maintenance, and regulation.
abstract: The TGF-β superfamily is involved in embryonic development and regulation of many cellular processes. Importantly, these signaling molecules have been increasingly revealed to play a crucial role in exocrine gland maintenance and regulation. TGF-β is involved in controlling the branching morphogenesis that is common to most exocrine glands, including: mammary gland, salivary, prostate, and in sebaceous gland regulation. In this review, we explore the molecular mechanisms and uses of TGF-β in crafting the microenvironment of epithelial tissues surrounding these exocrine glands and how perturbations in the signaling pathway affect their differentiation and proper development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McNairn
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brusadelli
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guasch
keywords: Exocrine gland; TGF-β signaling; microenvironment; signal transduction