Problem:
I am in an embryology course right now and we've just started covering cell-cell communication in development. We were talking about the roles of the various cadherins and their discoveries but we got to cell signaling pathways and in reading my textbook I'm finding myself confused by these pathways-- some of those that are mentioned include Notch, Wnt, FGF, TGF-beta, RTK, Jak-Stat, SMAD, integrins, PTHrP, Hedgehog, Discoidin domain receptors 1&2, and the unfolded protein response (UPR).
I know the RTK pathway and I know the SMAD pathway, but the others just seem to be specific ligands that are using these pathways -- is this correct? If yes, then explain.