title: Activin/Nodal signalling before implantation: setting the stage for embryo patterning.
abstract: Activins and Nodal are members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) family of growth factors. Their Smad2/3-dependent signalling pathway is well known for its implication in the patterning of the embryo after implantation. Although this pathway is active early on at preimplantation stages, embryonic phenotypes for loss-of-function mutations of prominent components of the pathway are not detected before implantation. It is only fairly recently that an understanding of the role of the Activin/Nodal signalling pathway at these stages has started to emerge, notably from studies detailing how it controls the expression of target genes in embryonic stem cells. We review here what is currently known of the TGF-β-related ligands that determine the activity of Activin/Nodal signalling at preimplantation stages, and recent advances in the elucidation of the Smad2/3-dependent mechanisms underlying developmental progression.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR 7592, 75205 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Costis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papanayotou
authors.affiliation: Université Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR 7592, 75205 Paris, France collignon.jerome@ijm.univ-paris-diderot.fr.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collignon
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D055457:Nodal Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055457:Nodal Protein; C526008:Nodal protein, mouse; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C497783:Smad2 protein, mouse; D051900:Smad3 Protein; C497791:Smad3 protein, mouse; D028341:Activins
keywords: Activin; Nodal; Smads; blastocyst; epiblast maturation; pluripotency