The Harmonies Played by TGF-β in Stem Cell Biology
December 2012
in “Cell Stem Cell”
TLDR TGF-β is crucial for controlling stem cell behavior and changes in its signaling can lead to diseases like cancer.
The 2012 review discussed the critical role of the TGF-β superfamily in stem cell biology, including embryonic, adult, and cancer stem cells. It detailed how TGF-β signaling pathways are essential for regulating stem cell self-renewal, differentiation, and maintenance, and how alterations in these pathways can lead to diseases like cancer. The review highlighted the complexity of TGF-β signaling, which involves multiple levels of control and varies between different types of stem cells, such as mouse and human embryonic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and hair follicle stem cells. It also explored the paradoxical effects of TGF-β on stem cells, the crosstalk between different signaling pathways, and the interaction between TGF-β signaling and master transcription factors. The document emphasized the importance of understanding the intricate network of signals and transcriptional mechanisms that govern stem cell behavior for potential therapeutic applications in tissue maintenance and repair.
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