Justus-Liebig-University Researchers Publish New Study Findings on Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Differential Smad2/3 linker phosphorylation is a crosstalk mechanism of Rho/ROCK and canonical TGF-b3 signaling in tenogenic differentiation).

Researchers from Justus-Liebig-University have published a new study on mesenchymal stem cells, focusing on the interplay between the Rho/ROCK and TGF-b3/Smad signaling pathways in tenogenic differentiation. The study found that collagen matrices and the Rho/ROCK pathway influence the TGF-b3/Smad2/3 pathway by regulating different phosphorylation sites of the Smad linker region. The findings suggest that factors like extracellular matrix and mechanical force can alter the response to TGF-b3, providing insights into the mechanisms of tenogenic differentiation. This research was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Studienstiftung Des Deutschen Volkes. [Extracted from the article]