Perspective


Nature Cell Biology 9, 1005 - 1009 (2007)
doi:10.1038/ncb435

Patching the gaps in Hedgehog signalling

Rajat Rohatgi1 & Matthew P. Scott1


The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway plays central roles in animal development and stem-cell function. Defects in Hh signalling lead to birth defects and cancer in humans. The first and often genetically damaged step in this pathway is the interaction between two membrane proteins — Patched (Ptc), encoded by a tumour suppressor gene, and Smoothened (Smo), encoded by a proto-oncogene. Recent work linking Hh signalling to sterol metabolites and protein-trafficking events at the primary cilium promises to shed light on the biochemical basis of how Patched inhibits Smoothened, and to provide new avenues for cancer treatment.

Top
  1. Rajat Rohatgi and Matthew P. Scott are in the Departments of Developmental Biology, Genetics, and Bioengineering and Department of Oncology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Clark Center West W252, 318 Campus Drive, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305–5439, USA. e-mail: mscott@stanford.edu


MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Agonizing Hedgehog

Nature Chemical Biology News and Views (01 Jan 2006)

Hedgehogs in the clinic

Nature Medicine News and Views (01 Dec 1996)


Extra navigation

Subscribe to Nature Cell Biology

Subscribe

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs