Figure 1.
Simplified schematic of the TSC/mTOR axis. The TSC/mTOR signaling pathway is an intricate cascade; several regulatory feedback loops are not included for simplicity. The TSC/mTOR axis responds to intra and extracellular cues and regulates important anabolic and catabolic processes such as protein synthesis and autophagy. Several signaling pathways lead to activation of a multiprotein complex consisting of the TSC1, TSC2 and TBC1D7 proteins. One of the most well studied functions of TSC1/2 is the inhibition of Rheb, a small GTPase protein that is a direct activator of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1). A few studies suggest that TSC and Rheb could act independently of mTORC1 and might regulate protein synthesis and potentially other processes as well. Created with BioRender.com.