Advances on aging of growth differentiation factor 11

Growth differentiation factor 11(GDF11), a member of the transforming growth factor β（TGF-β）family, is widely expressed in many tissues. GDF11 regulates multiple developmental processes by reversing cell cycle arrest and reverses the aging process of many tissues including heart, skeletal muscle, brain, bone and blood vessels. In this article, we review the role of GDF11 in aging considering the TGF-β family signaling pathway and the mechanism of GDF11 in growth and development.