Ras-MAPK pathway | Ras-MAPK in cancer | The MAP Kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway
Animated biology With arpan・2 minutes read
The Ras MAP kinase pathway is crucial for regulating growth, cell division, and survival through the activation of downstream kinases like Raf and MEK. Mutations in the Ras oncogene can lead to uncontrolled proliferation seen in cancer due to disruptions in this pathway.
Insights
- Ligands like mitogens or growth factors activate cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases, initiating the MAP kinase pathway by phosphorylating tyrosine residues and allowing adaptor proteins such as Grb2 to interact with SOS, ultimately leading to the activation of Ras and downstream kinases like Raf and MEK.
- The Ras MAP kinase pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating genes essential for growth, cell division, survival, and proliferation. Dysregulation of this pathway, often caused by mutations in the Ras oncogene, is associated with uncontrolled cell proliferation observed in cancer, highlighting the critical role of this signaling cascade in normal cellular functions and disease development.
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Recent questions
How is the MAP kinase pathway initiated?
Through cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases activated by ligands.
What role does Grb2 play in the MAP kinase pathway?
Grb2 interacts with SOS to activate Ras.
What are the functions of genes transcribed by the Ras MAP kinase pathway?
Crucial for growth, cell division, survival, and proliferation.
What is the significance of Ras activation in the MAP kinase pathway?
Ras activation leads to downstream kinase activation.
How are mutations in the Ras oncogene linked to cancer?
Mutations in Ras oncogene lead to uncontrolled proliferation.
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Summary
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"MAP Kinase Pathway: Growth, Division, Cancer"
- The MAP kinase pathway is initiated at the receptor level by cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases, activated by ligands like mitogens or growth factors.
- Upon ligand binding, the receptor tyrosine kinase dimerizes and phosphorylates tyrosine residues, allowing specific adaptor proteins like Grb2 to dock.
- Grb2 then interacts with SOS, a guanosine nucleotide exchange factor, activating Ras by exchanging its GDP for GTP, leading to downstream activation of kinases like Raf and MEK.
- The genes transcribed by the Ras MAP kinase pathway are crucial for growth, cell division, survival, and proliferation, with perturbations in this pathway linked to uncontrolled proliferation seen in cancer due to mutations in Ras oncogene.
