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European Journal of Dermatology

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Signaling moderation: TGF-β in exocrine gland development, maintenance, and regulation Ahead of print

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Authors
Division of Developmental Biology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

The TGF-β superfamily is involved in embryonic development and regulation of many cellular processes. Importantly, these signaling molecules have been increasingly revealed to play a crucial role in exocrine gland maintenance and regulation. TGF-β is involved in controlling the branching morphogenesis that is common to most exocrine glands, including: mammary gland, salivary, prostate, and in sebaceous gland regulation. In this review, we explore the molecular mechanisms and uses of TGF-β in crafting the microenvironment of epithelial tissues surrounding these exocrine glands and how perturbations in the signaling pathway affect their differentiation and proper development.