Cellular responses to pathogens, growth factors, cytokines, extra- or intra-cellular stress, is a prerequisite for the cell to adapt to novel and potentially dangerous situations. If the changes in the extra- or intra-cellular milieu causes DNA-damage or revoke a signalling pathway utilized during morphogenesis, the epithelial cells might be forced to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the benefit for the whole organism or transform to a mesenchymal cell type (epithelial to mesenchymal transition; EMT), in respond to a specific stimuli. An overview is presented over the current knowledge for the key components in signal transduction in homeostasis, inflammation and cancer. A handful of transcription factors are crucial for the determination of the specific cellular responses, where the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is an important factor as discussed in this review.