Week 4 Part 2 - Growth Factor Signaling and Oncogenes

These flashcards encompass key terms and concepts related to signal transduction, oncogenes, and therapeutic strategies discussed in the lecture on cancer biology.

IGF-1

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1, a hormone that plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults.

Source of growth factor

Ligand, a substance that forms a complex with a biomolecule to signal a response.

TGF-B

Transforming Growth Factor Beta, involved in regulation of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.

Oncogenes

Genes that have the potential to cause cancer, often through mutations leading to unregulated cell growth.

Signal transduction

The process by which a cell converts an extracellular signal into a functional response.

EGFR

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, a cell surface receptor that binds the epidermal growth factor.

Adaptor proteins

Proteins that mediate interactions between signaling molecules, facilitating signal transduction.

MAPK cascade

A signaling pathway that transmits signals from cell surface receptors to gene expression mechanisms, vital for growth and proliferation.

SRC

A non-receptor tyrosine kinase that regulates multiple cellular processes, including cell adhesion and motility.

ABL1

A nuclear tyrosine kinase that plays a role in regulating cell growth and differentiation, implicated in chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Philadelphia chromosome

A specific chromosomal abnormality associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia, resulting from a translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22.

Transcription factors

Proteins that control the transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, affecting gene expression.

Point mutations

Alterations of a single nucleotide in the DNA sequence, potentially leading to changes in protein function or regulation.

Fusion proteins

Proteins created from the joining of two or more genes that may produce novel functions and characteristics.

Kinase inhibitors

Drugs that inhibit the action of kinases, which are key enzymes in many signaling pathways, particularly in cancer.

Pharmacogenomics

The study of how genetic variations affect an individual's response to drugs, aiding in personalized medicine.

RAS

A family of genes that act as molecular switches in signaling pathways, often mutated in cancers.

MEK inhibitors

Drugs that inhibit the MEK enzyme, involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, used in cancer treatment.

Autophosphorylation

The process by which a kinase phosphorylates itself, triggering a signaling cascade.