Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 4, 2026

Identification of EGFR and RAS Inhibitors using Caenorhabditis elegans
08:12

Identification of EGFR and RAS Inhibitors using Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: October 5, 2020

Targets of TGF beta-related signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

C Savage-Dunn1

  • 1Department of Biology, Queens College, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11367, USA. csavage@qc1.qc.edu

Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews
|September 7, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Researchers are identifying targets of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. This model organism helps uncover how TGF-beta pathways achieve tissue specificity and crosstalk.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The characterization of Smad proteins enabled tracing of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signal transduction pathway.
  • Numerous Smad interaction partners, cofactors, and target genes have been identified.
  • Understanding tissue specificity and pathway crosstalk in TGF-beta signaling remains a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review progress in identifying cellular and molecular targets of TGF-beta-related signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.
  • To leverage C. elegans as a model system for studying TGF-beta signaling complexity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on TGF-beta signaling.
  • Analysis of genetic and experimental data from Caenorhabditis elegans studies.

Main Results:

  • Identification of key Smad proteins and their roles in TGF-beta pathway.
  • Progress in cataloging interaction partners, cofactors, and target genes in C. elegans.
  • Insights into tissue-specific regulation and pathway crosstalk.

Conclusions:

  • Caenorhabditis elegans is a valuable model for dissecting TGF-beta signaling.
  • Continued research in C. elegans will advance understanding of TGF-beta's role in development and disease.

More Related Videos

Novel Metrics to Characterize Embryonic Elongation of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans10:46

Novel Metrics to Characterize Embryonic Elongation of the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: March 28, 2016

Related Concept Videos

TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways01:41

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

Wnt is a zygotic effect gene that is expressed during very early embryonic development. It regulates various processes in animals starting from early development through the adult stage, such as organogenesis in the embryo and maintenance of neuronal and blood stem cells. Wnt proteins can induce a wide variety of intracellular pathways depending upon the specific abilities of different Wnt ligands to form a complex with shared and cognate receptors in the presence of different co-receptors. The...
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway02:54

Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

The gene encoding the main signaling molecules of the Wnt signaling pathways (the Wnt proteins) was discovered almost four decades ago by Nüsslein-Volhard and Wieschaus. They identified and originally named the gene "wingless" (wg) after a phenotype discovered during their landmark genetic screen in Drosophila for body pattern defects. At around the same time, another researcher named Harold Varmus found that a murine tumor virus activates the mammalian wg homolog, Int-1, which results in tumor...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway02:33

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...