The Notch Signaling Pathway

Notch signaling is a signal transduction mechanism central to probably all multicellular organisms. Functional Notch signaling is required for normal development and homeostasis of most organs in the mammalian body, and mutations in the pathway are associated with disease and cancer. The molecular basis for signal transmission has been decoded using a variety of experimental model organisms, including flies, worms and mice, and reveals a simple molecular architecture, yet Notch signaling produces highly diverse cell context-dependent signaling outputs. We also discuss various strategies to develop Notch-modulating therapies, which are warranted in diseases where Notch mutations or dysregulated Notch signaling is observed.