中文摘要：

TGF—β信号传导通路是一个包含众多成员的多功能细胞因子大家族，根据配体分子激活的不同的下游特异性通路可以分为TGF-β／Activin／Nodal和BMP／GDF／MIS两个亚家族通路。该信号通路的激活首先是TGF-βs配体分子与受体结合，从而使受体TpRs磷酸化，磷酸化的TpRI直接作用于底物Smads蛋白，活化的Smads就将配体与受体作用的信号从细胞膜、胞浆传递到细胞核内，再与其他核内因子协同激活或者抑制靶基因的转录。TGF-β信号通路就是通过调节细胞的生长、增殖、分化、迁移和凋亡等过程，在组织与器官的发生和形成（胚胎发育、骨骼等器官形成）、机体的免疫反应等生物过程发挥重要的功能。

英文摘要：

Transforming growth factor beta （TGF-β） belongs to a superfamily with a large number of multifunctional cytokines. Based on the classification of ligands, TGF-β is divided into two subfamilies, the TGF-β/Activin/Nodal sub- family and the BMP/GDF/MIS subfamily. The activation of these signaling pathways begins with the binding of TGF-β ligands to their receptors （TβRs）, followed by the phosphorylation of those TβRs. The phosphorylated TβR-I acts direct- ly on the substrate, the Smads, and then the activated Smads pass through the nuclear membrane together with other nu- clear factors to act either as activators or inhibitors of the transcription of target genes. The signal is transferred from the cell membrane to the cytoplasm and finally to the nucleus. The TGF β signaling pathway is involved in many biological processes like the formation of tissues and organs and immune responses in both developing embryos and adult organisms as it regulates cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, cellular homeostasis, and other cellular functions.