Description
20(S)-hydroxy Cholesterol is an allosteric agonist of the smoothened (Smo) receptor that activates the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway with an EC
50 value of approxiately 3 μM in a gene transcription reporter assay using NIH3T3 cells. 20(S)-hydroxy Cholesterol is necessary for normal Hh signaling. It induces Smo accumulation in primary cilia, an early event in signaling, and binds to the extracellular, cysteine-rich domain of Smo. 20(S)-hydroxy Cholesterol also stimulates osteogenic differentiation of pluripotent bone marrow stromal cells, a process mediated
via Hh and Notch signaling.
References
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