Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Active ERK in the C. elegans Germline
08:40

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Active ERK in the C. elegans Germline

Published on: November 29, 2016

Regulation of tumor cell motility by ERK mitogen-activated protein kinases

Emmanuel Viala1, Jacques Pouysségur

  • 1Institute of Signaling Developmental Biology and Cancer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 6543, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 avenue de Valombrose, 06189 Nice, France. evial@unice.fr

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|January 22, 2005
PubMed

Insights

The ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway regulates cancer cell motility, a key factor in metastasis. Understanding these molecular mechanisms is crucial for developing new cancer dissemination treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer mortality.
  • Cell motility is a critical process in cancer cell dissemination.
  • The ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is frequently activated in human cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of ERK MAPK signaling in regulating cell motility.
  • To highlight the significance of ERK MAPK-mediated cell motility in cancer dissemination.

Main Methods:

  • Review of molecular signaling pathways.
  • Analysis of cell motility assays.
  • Examination of cancer dissemination processes.

Main Results:

  • ERK MAPK signaling directly influences cancer cell motility.
  • This pathway plays a significant role in the dissemination of malignant cells.
  • Detailed molecular mechanisms linking ERK MAPK to motility were identified.

Conclusions:

  • ERK MAPK signaling is a key regulator of cancer cell motility and metastasis.
  • Targeting this pathway could offer strategies to inhibit cancer spread.

More Related Videos

An Immunofluorescent Method for Characterization of Barrett’s Esophagus Cells08:54

An Immunofluorescent Method for Characterization of Barrett’s Esophagus Cells

Published on: July 20, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However, invadopodia can...
Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.