How cells read TGF-β signals

Cell proliferation, differentiation and death are controlled by a multitude of cell-cell signals, and loss of this control has devastating consequences. Prominent among these regulatory signals is the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of cytokines, which can trigger a bewildering diversity of responses, depending on the genetic makeup and environment of the target cell. What are the networks of cell-specific molecules that mould the TGF-beta response to each cell's needs?