Hippo pathway in cell-cell communication: emerging roles in development and regeneration

The Hippo pathway is a central regulator of tissue growth that has been widely studied in mammalian organ development, regeneration, and Cancer biology. Although previous studies have convincingly revealed its cell-autonomous functions in controlling cell fate, such as cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation, accumulating evidence in recent years has revealed its non-cell-autonomous functions. This pathway regulates cell-cell communication through direct interactions, soluble factors, extracellular vesicles, and the extracellular matrix, providing a range of options for controlling diverse biological processes. Consequently, the Hippo pathway not only dictates the fate of individual cells but also triggers multicellular responses involving both tissue-resident cells and infiltrating immune cells. Here, we have highlighted the recent understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which the Hippo pathway controls cell-cell communication and discuss its importance in tissue homeostasis, especially in development and regeneration.

Cell–cell communication; Development; Heterogeneity; Regeneration; The Hippo pathway.