SPECIFICITY AND VERSATILITY IN TGF-β SIGNALING THROUGH SMADS
Abstract
The TGF-beta family comprises many structurally related differentiation factors that act through a heteromeric receptor complex at the cell surface and an intracellular signal transducing Smad complex. The receptor complex consists of two type II and two type I transmembrane serine/threonine kinases. Upon phosphorylation by the receptors, Smad complexes translocate into the nucleus, where they cooperate with sequence-specific transcription factors to regulate gene expression. The vertebrate genome encodes many ligands, fewer type II and type I receptors, and only a few Smads. In contrast to the perceived simplicity of the signal transduction mechanism with few Smads, the cellular responses to TGF-beta ligands are complex and context dependent. This raises the question of how the specificity of the ligand-induced signaling is achieved. We review the molecular basis for the specificity and versatility of signaling by the many ligands through this conceptually simple signal transduction mechanism.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Myostatin is a protein related to the control of muscle growth and body metabolism.
“Myostatin is a protein related to the control of muscle growth and body metabolism (Feng and Derynck, 2005).”
From Physical Exercise-Induced Myokines and Muscle-Adipose Tissue Crosstalk: A Review of Current Knowledge and the Implications for Health and Metabolic Diseases (2018) · cites this paper as Feng and Derynck, 2005
Cites
Liu, D., Black, B. L., & Derynck, R. (2001) · Genes & Development · doi:10.1101/gad.925901 · Cited by 399 · see citing works
Self-citationChoy, L., & Derynck, R. (2003) · Journal of Biological Chemistry · doi:10.1074/jbc.m212259200 · Cited by 343 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Molecular mechanisms of epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Lamouille, S., Xu, J., & Derynck, R. (2014) · Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology · doi:10.1038/nrm3758 · Cited by 8,091 · see citing works
Self-citationTGF-β-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition
Xu, J., Lamouille, S., & Derynck, R. (2009) · Cell Research · doi:10.1038/cr.2009.5 · Cited by 2,804 · see citing works
Self-citationFormation and function of the myofibroblast during tissue repair
Hinz, B. (2007) · Journal of Investigative Dermatology · doi:10.1038/sj.jid.5700613 · Cited by 1,658 · see citing works
TGF-β1 Signaling and Tissue Fibrosis
Kim, K. K., Sheppard, D., & Chapman, H. A. (2018) · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology · doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a022293 · Cited by 800 · see citing works
Specificity, versatility, and control of TGF-β family signaling
Derynck, R., & Budi, E. H. (2019) · Science Signaling · doi:10.1126/scisignal.aav5183 · Cited by 785 · see citing works
Self-citationProtection from obesity and diabetes by blockade of TGF-β/smad3 signaling
Yadav, H., Quijano, C., Kamaraju, A. K., Gavrilova, O., Malek, R., Chen, W., Zerfas, P., Zhigang, D., Wright, E. C., Stuelten, C., et al. (2011) · Cell Metabolism · doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2011.04.013 · Cited by 709 · see citing works
Nuclear CDKs Drive Smad Transcriptional Activation and Turnover in BMP and TGF-β Pathways
Alarcón, C., Zaromytidou, A.-I., Xi, Q., Gao, S., Yu, J., Fujisawa, S., Barlas, A., Miller, A. N., Manova-Todorova, K., Macias, M. J., et al. (2009) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.09.035 · Cited by 719 · see citing works
Signaling Receptors for TGF-β Family Members
Heldin, C.-H., & Moustakas, A. (2016) · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology · doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a022053 · Cited by 711 · see citing works
A vitamin D receptor/SMAD genomic circuit gates hepatic fibrotic response
Ding, N., Yu, R. T., Subramaniam, N., Sherman, M. H., Wilson, C., Rao, R., Leblanc, M., Coulter, S., He, M., Scott, C., et al. (2013) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2013.03.028 · Cited by 622 · see citing works
Transforming growth factor‐β in stem cells and tissue homeostasis
Xu, X., Zheng, L., Yuan, Q., Zhen, G., Crane, J. L., Zhou, X., & Cao, X. (2018) · Bone Research · doi:10.1038/s41413-017-0005-4 · Cited by 414 · see citing works
Leal, L. G., Lopes, M. A., & Batista, M. L. (2018) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.01307 · Cited by 382 · see citing works
“Myostatin is a protein related to the control of muscle growth and body metabolism (Feng and Derynck, 2005).”
BackgroundWnt/β-catenin signaling components and mechanisms in bone formation, homeostasis, and disease
Hu, L., Chen, W., Qian, A., & Li, Y.-P. (2024) · Bone Research · doi:10.1038/s41413-024-00342-8 · Cited by 359 · see citing works
TGF-β Signaling in Control of Cardiovascular Function
Goumans, M.-J., & ten Dijke, P. (2018) · Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology · doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a022210 · Cited by 360 · see citing works
Deficiency in neuronal TGF-β signaling promotes neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s pathology
Tesseur, I., Zou, K., Esposito, L., Bard, F., Berber, E., Can, J. V., Lin, A. H., Crews, L., Tremblay, P., Mathews, P., et al. (2006) · Journal of Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1172/jci27341 · Cited by 355 · see citing works
Qi, Z., Li, Y., Zhao, B., Xu, C., Liu, Y., Li, H., Zhang, B., Wang, X., Yang, X., Xie, W., et al. (2017) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/ncomms13824 · Cited by 320 · see citing works
Relative roles of TGF‐β1 and Wnt in the systemic regulation and aging of satellite cell responses
Carlson, M. E., Conboy, M. J., Hsu, M., Barchas, L., Jeong, J., Agrawal, A., Mikels, A. J., Agrawal, S., Schaffer, D. V., & Conboy, I. M. (2009) · Aging Cell · doi:10.1111/j.1474-9726.2009.00517.x · Cited by 244 · see citing works
The c‐myc Promoter: Still MysterY and Challenge
(2008) · Advances in Cancer Research · doi:10.1016/s0065-230x(07)99004-1 · Cited by 211 · see citing works
TGF-β family co-receptor function and signaling
Nickel, J., Ten Dijke, P., & Mueller, T. D. (2018) · Acta Biochimica et Biophysica Sinica · doi:10.1093/abbs/gmx126 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Ono, Y., Calhabeu, F., Morgan, J. E., Katagiri, T., Amthor, H., & Zammit, P. S. (2011) · Cell Death & Differentiation · doi:10.1038/cdd.2010.95 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Skeletal muscle is an endocrine organ
Iizuka, K., Machida, T., & Hirafuji, M. (2014) · Journal of Pharmacological Sciences · doi:10.1254/jphs.14r02cp · Cited by 189 · see citing works
The role of endothelial-mesenchymal transition in development and pathological process
Lin, F., Wang, N., & Zhang, T. (2012) · IUBMB Life · doi:10.1002/iub.1059 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Koli, K., Myllärniemi, M., Keski-Oja, J., & Kinnula, V. L. (2008) · Antioxidants & Redox Signaling · doi:10.1089/ars.2007.1914 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
Essential Role of TGF-β Signaling in Glucose-Induced Cell Hypertrophy
Wu, L., & Derynck, R. (2009) · Developmental Cell · doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2009.05.010 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Self-citationTGFβ signalling plays an important role in IL4-induced alternative activation of microglia
Zhou, X., Spittau, B., & Krieglstein, K. (2012) · Journal of Neuroinflammation · doi:10.1186/1742-2094-9-210 · Cited by 159 · see citing works
The role of Smad signaling cascades in cardiac fibrosis
Hanna, A., Humeres, C., & Frangogiannis, N. G. (2021) · Cellular Signalling · doi:10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109826 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Shen, M., Liu, X., Zhang, H., & Guo, S.-W. (2015) · Human Reproduction · doi:10.1093/humrep/dev314 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Canali, S., Core, A. B., Zumbrennen-Bullough, K. B., Merkulova, M., Wang, C.-Y., Schneyer, A. L., Pietrangelo, A., & Babitt, J. L. (2016) · Endocrinology · doi:10.1210/en.2015-1747 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Thyroid hormones inhibit TGF-β signaling and attenuate fibrotic responses
Alonso-Merino, E., Martín Orozco, R., Ruíz-Llorente, L., Martínez-Iglesias, O. A., Velasco-Martín, J. P., Montero-Pedrazuela, A., Fanjul-Rodríguez, L., Contreras-Jurado, C., Regadera, J., & Aranda, A. (2016) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1506113113 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Lenferink, A. E. G., Cantin, C., Nantel, A., Wang, E., Durocher, Y., Banville, M., Paul-Roc, B., Marcil, A., Wilson, M. R., & O'Connor-McCourt, M. D. (2010) · Oncogene · doi:10.1038/onc.2009.399 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
NOD-like receptors in intestinal homeostasis and epithelial tissue repair
Parlato, M., & Yeretssian, G. (2014) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms15069594 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Co-ordination of cell cycle and differentiation in the developing nervous system
Hindley, C., & Philpott, A. (2012) · Biochemical Journal · doi:10.1042/bj20112040 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Enns, C. A., Ahmed, R., Wang, J., Ueno, A., Worthen, C., Tsukamoto, H., & Zhang, A.-S. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060534 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
TGF-β signaling is required for maintenance of retinal ganglion cell differentiation and survival
Walshe, T. E., Leach, L. L., & D'Amore, P. A. (2011) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.05.020 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Colangelo, M. T., Galli, C., & Guizzardi, S. (2020) · Regenerative Medicine · doi:10.2217/rme-2019-0118 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
The oncogenic TBX3 is a downstream target and mediator of the TGF-β1 signaling pathway
Li, J., Weinberg, M. S., Zerbini, L., & Prince, S. (2013) · Molecular Biology of the Cell · doi:10.1091/mbc.e13-05-0273 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Paronett, E. M., Meechan, D. W., Karpinski, B. A., LaMantia, A.-S., & Maynard, T. M. (2015) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhu285 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Dehlin, H. M., Manteufel, E. J., Monroe, A. L., Reimer, M. H., & Levick, S. P. (2013) · International Journal of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.07.190 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Li, J., Ballim, D., Rodriguez, M., Cui, R., Goding, C. R., Teng, H., & Prince, S. (2014) · Journal of Biological Chemistry · doi:10.1074/jbc.m114.596411 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Temporal Smad7 Transgene Induction in Mouse Epidermis Accelerates Skin Wound Healing
Han, G., Li, F., ten Dijke, P., & Wang, X.-J. (2011) · The American Journal of Pathology · doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.06.003 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
SARA is dispensable for functional TGF‐β signaling
Bakkebø, M., Huse, K., Hilden, V. I., Forfang, L., Myklebust, J. H., Smeland, E. B., & Oksvold, M. P. (2012) · FEBS Letters · doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2012.07.027 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
- Authors
- Feng, X.-H., & Derynck, R.
- Affiliations
- Baylor College of Medicine (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Venue
- Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 2005-11-01
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 659-693
- ISSN
- 1081-0706 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-8995
- OpenAlex
- W2117200840
- Cited by
- 1,869
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 63 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 84 · 2020: 66 · 2019: 72 · 2018: 86 · 2017: 85 · 2016: 84 · 2015: 91 · 2014: 88 · 2013: 125 · 2012: 123
- FWCI
- 9.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › TGF-β signaling in diseases
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
- Keywords
- TGF-beta signaling, Smad proteins, TGF-beta receptor, ligand specificity, signal transduction, receptor phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, transcriptional regulation, gene expression regulation, heteromeric receptors, TGF-beta ligands
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Forecasting, Humans, Ligands, Models, Biological, Sensitivity and Specificity, Transcription, Genetic, Signal Transduction, Transcriptional Activation, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Smad Proteins, Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review