TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA - THE BREAKING OPEN OF A BLACK-BOX

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and its related proteins re gulate broad aspects of body development, including cell proliferation , differentiation, apoptosis and gene expression, in various organisms . Deregulated TGF-beta function has been causally implicated in the ge neration of human fibrotic disorders and in tumor progression. Neverth eless, the molecular mechanisms of TGF-beta action remained essentiall y unknown until recently. Here, we discuss recent progress in our unde rstanding of the mechanism of TGF-beta signal transduction with respec t to the regulation of gene expression, the control of cell phenotype and the potential usage of TGF-beta for the treatment of human disease s.