Featured Pathways
Much of the efficiency of the immune system is attributed to the high degree of spatial and temporal organization in the secondary lymphoid organs. Signaling through the LT-BetaR (Lymphotoxin-Beta Receptor) pathway is a crucial element in the maintenance of this organised microenvironment (Ref.1). LT-BetaR, a member of the TNFR (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor) superfamily, plays[..]
BTG2 (BTG Family Member-2) is endowed with antiproliferative activity. The expression of BTG2 in cycling cells induces accumulation of hypophosphorylated, growth-inhibitory forms of Rb (Retinoblastoma) and led to G1 arrest through impairment of DNA synthesis. Overexpression of CcnD1 (Cyclin-D1) counteracts G1 arrest. Rb is a nuclear phosphoprotein whose phosphorylation state oscillates[..]
FcεRI is constitutively expressed on mast cells as a tetrameric receptor composed of the IgE-binding α chain, the membrane-tetraspanning β chain, and the disulfide-linked homodimer of the γ chains. The level of expression of the FcεRI on the mast cell surface can be influenced by several factors, such as IgE availability or IgE binding. Antigen (Ag) ligation of IgE-bound[..]
The process of consolidating a new memory and the dynamic complexity of information processing within neuronal networks is greatly increased by activity-dependent changes in gene expression within individual neurons. A leading paradigm of such regulation is the activation of the nuclear transcription factor CREB (cAMP Responsive Element Binding Protein), and its family members the ATF[..]
CDKs (Cyclin-dependent kinases) are a group of serine/threonine protein kinases activated by binding to a regulatory subunit cyclin.CDK5(Cyclin dependent kinase-5), a family member of the cyclin-dependent kinases, plays a pivotal role in the central nervous system. During embryogenesis, CDK5 is indispensable for brain development and, in the adult brain, it is essential for numerous neuronal[..]
TLRs (Toll-like receptors) are transmembrane proteins expressed by cells of the innate immune system, which recognize invading microbes and activate signaling pathways that launch immune and inflammatory responses to destroy the invaders. Toll receptors were first identified in Drosophila. In mammals, the TLR family includes eleven proteins (TLR1-TLR11). Recently, two new members, TLR12 and[..]
Apoptosis is a cell suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell number in tissues and to eliminate individual cells that threaten the animal's survival. Certain cells have unique sensors, termed DR (Death Receptors), on their surface, which detect the presence of extracellular death signals and, in response; they rapidly ignite the cell's intrinsic apoptosis machinery. Death[..]
Neutrophils play an important role in the host defense by invading microbial pathogens. Upon infection neutrophils become activated through interaction with chemo attractants and cytokines. These ligands bind to a variety of cell surface receptors, including heterotrimeric GPCR (G-Protein Coupled Receptors) for fMLP (N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe) and PAF (Platelet Activating Factor), and tyrosine[..]
GSK3 (Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3) is a ubiquitously expressed, highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase found in all eukaryotes. Identified originally as a regulator of glycogen metabolism, GSK3 acts as a downstream regulatory switch for numerous signaling pathways, including cellular responses to WNT, Growth Factors, Insulin, RTK (Receptor Tyrosine Kinases), Hedgehog pathways, and GPCR[..]
Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, plays a key role in many physiological and pathological processes, such as ovulation, embryogenesis, wound repair, inflammation, malignant tumor growth, retinopathies, rheumatoid arthritis, and angiogenesis-dependent diseases. One of the best-characterized modulators of angiogenesis is the heparin-binding FGF (Fibroblast Growth Factor) (Ref.[..]
Controlled cell proliferation is a predominant theme in normal embryonic and post-embryonic development, and, in many instances, cell-type specification and cell proliferation are intimately coupled. Several secreted intercellular signaling proteins that behave as morphogens during pattern formation are also implicated in the regulation of the cell cycle. Hedgehogs (Hhs) are one such class of[..]
