Regulation of SRC-Family and focal adhesion kinase function

我们体内的细胞彼此粘在一起，并粘在周围被称为细胞外基质的胶结物质上。一种叫做黏附激酶（FAK）的酶是细胞黏附的主要调节因子。它可以催化一种叫做磷酸盐的化学基团与特定细胞蛋白的共价结合。本研究旨在研究胰岛素刺激如何调节FAK，以及肿瘤抑制因子PTEN如何调节FAK。这项研究的结果将揭示调控和PTEN的畸变是如何导致发育缺陷、心脏病发作和癌细胞扩散的。

Cells in our bodies stick to one another and to the cementing material called extracellular matrix surrounding them. An ezyme called focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a major regulator of cell stickiness. It can catalyze the covalent attachment of a chemical group called phosphate to specific cellular protein. This proposal aims at studying how FAK is regulated by insulin stimulation and how FAK is regulated by a tumour suppressor called PTEN. Results of the study will shed light on how abberrations in the regulation and PTEN contribute to the development of development defects, heart attack, and the spreading of cancer cells.