Targets of TGF beta-related signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

With the characterization of the Smads 5 years ago, it became possible to trace the TGFbeta signal transduction pathway from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Since that time, many Smad interaction partners, cofactors and target genes have been identified using a variety of experimental approaches and model systems. Understanding how these partners generate tissue specificity and crosstalk between pathways is an ongoing pursuit for the field of TGFbeta signal transduction. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides a simple, genetically tractable model organism in which to address this goal. This review will examine progress towards the identification of cellular and molecular targets of TGFbeta-related signaling in C. elegans.