Research progress on transcription factors and signal pathways involved in congenital esophageal atresia

Abstract

Congenital esophageal atresia is one of the serious birth defects. Identifying the etiology and mechanism of esophageal development can provide clues for the effective prevention and treatment of congenital esophageal atresia. Recent studies have shown that a variety of transcription factors and signaling pathways (including Wnt signaling pathway, bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway, SHH signaling pathway, vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway) are involved in esophageal proliferation, differentiation and other processes, promoting the normal development of esophagus. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms during the normal development of esophagus can give reference for the prevention and treatment of congenital esophageal atresia. This article reviews the research progress on related transcription factors and signaling pathways in esophageal development.