Direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes by forced expression of cardiomyogenic factors, GMT (GATA4, Mef2C, Tbx5) or GHMT (GATA4, Hand2, Mef2C, Tbx5), has recently been demonstrated, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy for cardiac repair. However, current approaches are inefficient. Here we demonstrate that pro-fibrotic signalling potently antagonizes cardiac reprogramming. R...

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a key role in the pathogenesis of colon and other cancers; emerging evidence indicates that oncogenic β-catenin regulates several biological processes essential for cancer initiation and progression. To decipher the role of β-catenin in transformation, we classified β-catenin activity in 85 cancer cell lines in which we performed genome-scale loss-of-function scree...

Limbs develop using a common genetic programme despite widely differing morphologies. This programme is modulated by limb-restricted regulators such as hindlimb (HL) transcription factors Pitx1 and Tbx4 and the forelimb (FL) Tbx5. Both Tbx factors have been implicated in limb patterning and growth, but their relative activities and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, we show th...

Proper functioning of the musculoskeletal system requires the precise integration of bones, muscles, and tendons. Complex morphogenetic events ensure that these elements are linked together in the appropriate three-dimensional configuration. It has been difficult, however, to tease apart the mechanisms that regulate tissue morphogenesis. We find that deletion of Tbx5 in forelimbs (or Tbx4 in hi...