Hedgehog signaling pathway

The Hedgehog proteins are a family of secreted ligands that include sonic hedgehog, Indian hedgehog and desert hedgehog in humans. Binding of Hedgehog ligands to their receptors, Patched 1 and 2, prevents inhibition of a 7 transmembrane receptor called Smoothened. This leads to activation of GLI family of transcription factors (GLI1-3). Signaling through the Hedgehog pathway is essential for development of many tissues and organs. This pathway is highly conserved among metazoans. Aberrant activation of this pathway has been associated with a number of human malignancies including carcinoma of lung, esophagus, pancreas and prostate. Source: NetPath http://www.netpath.org/pathways?path_id=NetPath_10

刺猬蛋白家族是一类分泌型配体，包括人类中的 Sonic hedgehog、Indian hedgehog 和 Desert hedgehog。刺猬蛋白配体与其受体 Patched 1 和 2 的结合，可阻止对一种具有 7 个跨膜结构的受体 Smoothened 的抑制。这一过程进而激活 GLI 家族转录因子（GLI1-3）。通过 Hedgehog 信号通路进行的信号传导对于众多组织和器官的发育至关重要。该通路在多细胞生物中高度保守。该通路的异常激活与多种人类恶性肿瘤有关，包括肺癌、食管癌、胰腺癌和前列腺癌。资料来源：NetPath http://www.netpath.org/pathways?path_id=NetPath_10