title: Rho/Rho-kinase mediated signaling in physiology and pathophysiology.
abstract: The small GTPase Rho is implicated in many cellular functions such as cell adhesion, cell motility and migration, growth control, cell contraction, and cytokinesis. One of its main effectors, Rho-kinase, appears to play a key role in the regulation of force and velocity of actomyosin crossbridging in smooth muscle and nonmuscle cells by inhibiting myosin phosphatase-mediated dephosphorylation of the regulatory chain of myosin II. Abnormal activation of the Rho/Rho-kinase pathway has been shown to play a role in diseases such as hypertension and bronchial asthma. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the physiological and pathophysiological function of the Rho/Rho-kinase mediated pathway in various tissues with a focus on its possible role as a target for therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wettschureck
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Offermanns
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D009218:Myosins / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D009218:Myosins; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins