In melanoma cells, extracellular active TGF-β regulates gene expression by receptor-mediated activation of SMAD (an acronym from the fusion of Caenorhabditis elegans Sma genes and the Drosophila Mad, Mothers against decapentaplegic) transcription factors that regulate the transcriptional output of active genes and can also open repressive chromatin7. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and melanoma.