| Literature DB >> 20066122 |
Abstract
Nodal signals belong to the TGF-beta superfamily and are essential for the induction of mesoderm and endoderm and the determination of the left-right axis. Nodal signals can act as morphogens-they have concentration-dependent effects and can act at a distance from their source of production. Nodal and its feedback inhibitor Lefty form an activator/inhibitor pair that behaves similarly to postulated reaction-diffusion models of tissue patterning. Nodal morphogen activity is also regulated by microRNAs, convertases, TGF-beta signals, coreceptors, and trafficking factors. This article describes how Nodal morphogens pattern embryonic fields and discusses how Nodal morphogen signaling is modulated.Entities:
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Year: 2009 PMID: 20066122 PMCID: PMC2773646 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a003459
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol ISSN: 1943-0264 Impact factor: 10.005