title: TGF-β Family Signaling in the Control of Cell Proliferation and Survival.
abstract: The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family controls many fundamental aspects of cellular behavior. With advances in the molecular details of the TGF-β signaling cascade and its cross talk with other signaling pathways, we now have a more coherent understanding of the cytostatic program induced by TGF-β. However, the molecular mechanisms are still largely elusive for other cellular processes that are regulated by TGF-β and determine a cell's proliferation and survival, apoptosis, dormancy, autophagy, and senescence. The difficulty in defining TGF-β's roles partly stems from the context-dependent nature of TGF-β signaling. Here, we review our current understanding and recent progress on the biological effects of TGF-β at the cellular level, with the hope of providing a framework for understanding how cells respond to TGF-β signals in specific contexts, and why disruption of such mechanisms may result in different human diseases including cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
authors.forename: Xiao-Fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001343:Autophagy; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta