Signaling multiplex of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Abstract

Cells must be able to not only internalize extracellular signals, but also decipher these messages that ultimately result in a variety of cell-specific outcomes. Physiologically, transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases play an important role in normal development. Pathologically, these receptors are implicated in deregulation of growth displayed by cancer cells. Over the past 30 years, the mechanistic understanding of cell signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases has become quite sophisticated. This review focuses primarily on the epidermal growth factor receptor and cetuximab, the only monoclonal antibody approved for targeting this receptor.

• Akt
• apoptosis
• ATP-binding pocket
• cetuximab
• crystal structure
• EGFR
• EGFR mutations
• erbB family
• heterodimer
• JAK/STAT