Mechanisms of action of bone morphogenetic proteins in cancer

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), a subfamily of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family, are glycosylated extracellular matrix-associated molecules that act as ligands for specific receptors on target cells (Fig. 1). BMPs were identified through a pivotal role in bone formation; subsequent work has demonstrated that BMP signalling is an evolutionary conserved pathway with a diverse range of functions in different tissue types including embryonic patterning, homeostasis, cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation control, bone metabolism, vascular homeostasis and iron deposition in the liver, amongst many others.
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Tags: Mini review Source Type: research