title: Biochemical signals and biological responses elicited by the focal adhesion kinase.
abstract: The focal adhesion kinase, FAK, is an important component of an integrin-dependent signaling pathway, which functions to transmit signals from the extracellular matrix into the cytoplasm. FAK is an essential gene product, since the fak-/- mouse exhibits embryonic lethality. A number of important biological processes, including cell motility and cell survival, are controlled by integrin-dependent signals and FAK has been implicated in regulating these processes. This review will focus upon recent findings providing insight into the mechanisms by which FAK transmits biochemical signals and elicits biological effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599, USA. crispy4@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schaller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D002470:Cell Survival; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496050:PTK2 protein, human; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases