Members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family control growth, differentiation and apoptosis of cells, and have important functions during embryonic development. There are three known isoforms of TGF-β (TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and TGF-β3) expressed in mammalian tissues. TGF-β isoforms signal through three surface receptors, known as the TGF-β type I, type II, and type III receptors (TβRI, TβRII, and TβRIII, respectively) which are expressed on the surface of many cell types such as fibroblasts, lymphocytes, and hemopoietic cells, etc. The binding of TGF-β and receptors transduces the signals by phosphorylating carboxy-terminal serine residues of receptor-regulated (R-) Smads. The activated R-Smads form hetero-oligomeric complexes with a common-partner (co-) Smad, that is, Smad4 in vertebrate cells. The complexes translocate into the nucleus where they regulate the expression of target genes.

TGF-beta/Smad Compound Library from TargetMol, a unique collection of 184 TGF-beta/Smad signaling targeted compounds, can be used for research in TGF-beta/Smad signaling and related drug screening (high throughput and high content screening).