Resepetortyrosinkinase

Receptor tyrosine kinases, often abbreviated as RTKs, are a large family of cell surface receptors that play crucial roles in normal cellular function and in the development of various diseases. They are transmembrane proteins, meaning they span across the cell membrane, with an extracellular ligand-binding domain and an intracellular catalytic domain that possesses tyrosine kinase activity. When a specific signaling molecule, known as a ligand, binds to the extracellular portion of the RTK, it causes a conformational change that leads to the dimerization of two RTK molecules. This dimerization activates the intracellular kinase domains, which then phosphorylate specific tyrosine residues on themselves (autophosphorylation) and on downstream signaling proteins. This phosphorylation cascade initiates a variety of cellular responses, including cell growth, differentiation, survival, and migration. Dysregulation of RTK signaling, often due to mutations that lead to constitutive activation, is a common feature of many cancers, making RTKs important targets for cancer therapy.