Main description:

This is the first comprehensive book on Smad signal transduction. Forward looking reviews of Smads are provided in a series of 22 cutting-edge chapters.

The book is written for an audience with basic understanding of molecular and cell biology. This volume provides an in-depth review of a rapidly developing field and extensive cross-references between chapters are provided.

Contents:

1. Preface: the Smad family; P. ten Dijke and C-H. Heldin. 2. Evolution of Smad proteins; S. Newfeld. 3. Smad signaling in C. elegans; R. Padgett and G. Paterson; 4. Mad signaling in Drosophila; L.Raftery. 5. Delineating the TGF- ss/Smad-induced cytostatic response; F. Liu. 6. TGF- ss/Smad signaling in mesenchymal cell differentiation; R. Derynck. 7. Regulation of cell death and survival by Smads; K. Luo. 8. TGF- ss/Smad signaling in epithelial to mesenchymal transition; A. Moustakas. 9. Functional analysis of Smads through gene ablation in mice; C. Deng. 10. Regulation of Smad activation through endocytic segregation of TGF- ss receptors; J. Wrana. 11. Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of Smad proteins; C. Hill. 12. Structural insights into Smad function and specificity; Y. Shi . 13. Regulation of Smad function by phosphorylation; S. Souchelnytskyi. 14. Regulation of Smad function through ubiquitination and sumoylation; X.-H. Feng. 15. Smad co-activators and co-repressors; K. Miyazono. 16. Integration of signaling pathways via Smads and Smad interacting proteins; L. Attisano. 17. Interplay between Smad and MAP kinase signaling pathways; A. Mauviel. 18. Gene expression signatures of TGF- ss/Smad-induced responses; E. Boettinger. 19. Systems biology approaches to TGF- ss/Smad signaling; M. Tewari. 20. Inhibitory Smads; mechanism of action and role in human diseases; A. Nakao. 21. Alterations of Smad signaling in carcinogenesis; S.-J. Kimand J. Letterio. 22. TGF- ss receptor kinase inhibitors for treatment of cancer; J. Yingling. 23. TGF- ss receptor kinase inhibitors for treatment of fibrosis; N. Laping and S. Huet.