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. 2021 Jul 12;9:696542. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.696542

FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2

The canonical TGF-β signaling pathway. Activated TGF-β binds to its type II receptor and type I serine/threonine kinase receptors and thus phosphorylates Smad2 and Smad3. Smad7 is one of the inhibitory Smads that inhibit the signals from the serine/threonine kinase receptors. Smad2/3 then forms an oligomeric complex with Smad4, which translocates into the nucleus to regulate the transcription of target genes. The activation of the TGF-β signaling pathway drives renal cells into myofibroblasts, which secrete collagens and fibronectins to promote renal fibrosis.