Rasfehérjék

Rasfehérjék, often referred to as Ras proteins, are a family of small GTPases that play a crucial role in intracellular signal transduction. They act as molecular switches, cycling between an inactive GDP-bound state and an active GTP-bound state. This activation is typically triggered by upstream signaling events, such as the binding of growth factors to cell surface receptors. Once activated, Ras proteins interact with a variety of downstream effector molecules, initiating signaling cascades that regulate fundamental cellular processes.

These processes include cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, and migration. The Ras signaling pathway is highly conserved across eukaryotes and is implicated in numerous physiological functions. However, dysregulation of Ras signaling is a common feature of many human cancers, where mutations in Ras genes can lead to their constitutive activation, promoting uncontrolled cell growth and tumor development. Therefore, Ras proteins are significant targets for cancer drug development.