Molecular Evolution of Smad Proteins -- C. Elegans TGF-? Signaling Pathways -- Smads In Drosophila - Interpretation Of Graded Signals In Vivo -- Delineating the TGF-?/Smad-Induced Cytostatic Response -- Smads In Mesenchymal Differentiation -- Smad Proteins in Apoptotic and Survival Signaling -- TGF-?/SMAD Signaling in Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition -- Genetic Disruptions within the Murine Genome Reveal Numerous Roles of the Smad Gene Family in Development, Disease, and Cancer -- Trafficking of Serine/Threonine Kinase Receptors and Smad Activation -- Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of Smad Proteins -- Structural Insights into Smad Function and Specificity -- Regulation of Smad Function by Phosphorylation -- Regulation of Smad Functions Through Ubiquitination and Sumoylation Pathways -- Smad Transcriptional Co-Activators and Co-Repressors -- Integration of Signaling Pathways Via Smad Proteins -- Interplays Between The Smad and Map Kinase Signaling Pathways -- Gene Expression Signatures of TGF-?/Smad-Induced Responses -- Systems Biology Approaches to TGF-?/Smad Signaling -- Inhibitory Smads: Mechanisms of Action and Roles in Human Diseases -- Alterations in Smad Signaling in Carcinogenesis -- TGF-? Receptor Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer -- TGF-? Receptor Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Fibrosis. For the first time world-leading experts in the area of cellular signaling have joined to the production of a book on Smad signal transduction. Smads are the principal intracellular effectors of TGF-b family members that control numerous cellular responses with critical roles in development and in tissue homeostasis. In a series of 22 cutting-edge chapters forward looking reviews of Smads are provided that cover their discovery, evolution, role in development, mechanism of action and regulation, and how deregulation in Smad signalling contributes to human diseases. Written for an audience with basic understanding of molecular and cell biology, this volume provides an in-depth review of a rapidly developing field and extensive cross-references between chapters are provided. This book will be of particular interest to basic and applied biomedical researchers (students, post-docs or group leaders) with desire to understand the principles of cell-cell communication and mechanisms by which signaling pathways and gene programs control cell proliferation and differentiation, and how this knowledge may come to be applied in the clinic.