Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Smad signalling in the ovary

Mottershead

Smad signalling in the ovary Thumbnail


Authors



Abstract

It has now been a decade since the first discovery of the intracellular Smad proteins, the downstream signalling molecules of one of the most important growth factor families in the animal kingdom, the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. In the ovary, several TGFbeta superfamily members are expressed by the oocyte, granulosa and thecal cells at different stages of folliculogenesis, and they signal mainly through two different Smad pathways in an autocrine/paracrine manner. Defects in the upstream signalling cascade molecules, the ligands and receptors, are known to have adverse effects on ovarian organogenesis and folliculogenesis, but the role of the individual Smad proteins in the proper function of the ovary is just beginning to be understood for example through the use of Smad knockout models. Although most of the different Smad knockouts are embryonic lethal, it is known, however, that in Smad1 and Smad5 knockout mice primordial germ cell development is impaired and that Smad3 deficient mice harbouring a deletion in exon 8 exhibit impaired folliculogenesis and reduced fertility. In this minireview we
discuss the role of Smad structure and function in the ovarian context.

Acceptance Date Apr 12, 2006
Publication Date Apr 12, 2006
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Publisher Springer Verlag
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-4-21
Keywords Granulosa Cell, Inhibin, Primordial Follicle, Theca Cell, Thecal Cell
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-4-21

Files




You might also like



Downloadable Citations