Signal Transduction by the Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor

When platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) binds to its receptor on a quiescent fibroblast or smooth muscle cell, it stimulates a remarkably diverse group of biochemical responses, including changes in ion fluxes, activation of several kinases, alterations in cell shape, increased transcription of a number of genes, and stimulation of enzymes that regulate phospholipid metabolism. These and other reactions culminate, hours later, in DNA replication and cell division. How does the receptor for PDGF recognize and bind its specific ligand and then transduce this signal across the cell membrane via a single membrane-spanning region? Which of the immediate cellular responses are directly involved in the biochemical pathways that lead to DNA synthesis? How does the PDGF receptor trigger a diverse group of responses? Recent studies of the PDGF receptor have provided insight into these issues.