Signal transduction pathways participating in homeostasis and malignant transformation of the intestinal tissue.

Intestinal homeostasis is a complex and tightly regulated process governed by a variety of signalling pathways that balance cell proliferation and differentiation. As revealed by extensive use of defined mouse models, perturbations within the signalling circuitry trigger initial expansion of premalignant cells. In this review, we attempt to summarise recent advances in the knowledge of the cellular signalling mechanisms that drive tumorigenesis in the human and mouse intestine.