The Smad pathway in transforming growth factor-b signaling
The Smad pathway in transforming growth factor-β signaling

The transforming growth factor b (TGF-b) superfamily comprises a great number of structurally related polypeptide growth factors, such as TGF-bs, activins, inhibins, bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs), growth differentiation factors (GDFs), M黮lerian inhibitory substance, and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), etc1]. The TGF-b superfamily members are multifunctional agonists involved in a broad spectrum of biological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation, e…