title: Focal adhesion kinase: switching between GAPs and GEFs in the regulation of cell motility.
abstract: Focal adhesion (FA) kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase involved in cytoskeleton remodeling, formation and disassembly of cell adhesion structures, and in the regulation of Rho-family GTPases. Therefore, FAK is widely accepted as an important promoter of directional cell movement. Recent studies have elucidated new molecular connections of FAK in these processes. Specifically, FAK facilitates the localized and cyclic activation of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPases-activating proteins (GAPs). In general, GEFs activate, while GAPs inactivate RhoGTPases. Therefore, FAK is in a unique signaling position to modulate RhoGTPase activity in space and time, thereby affecting various steps (integrin activation, leading edge formation, FA turnover, and trailing edge retraction) needed for efficient directional cell migration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, University of California-San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Alok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomar
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Schlaepfer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002465:Cell Movement; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases