Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer
08:34

Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer

Published on: April 13, 2015

When good Cdk5 turns bad

Qing Guo1

  • 1Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. qing-guo@ouhsc.edu

Science of Aging Knowledge Environment : SAGE KE
|February 14, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5) plays dual roles in brain function. A newly identified neuronal protein can shift Cdk5 activity from beneficial to detrimental, impacting neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5) is essential for mammalian development.
  • Cdk5 is involved in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory.
  • Aberrant Cdk5 activity is linked to neurodegenerative diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how a single protein can modulate Cdk5 activity.
  • To understand the dual role of Cdk5 in neuronal function and disease.

Main Methods:

  • The study likely involved molecular biology techniques to identify and characterize the regulatory protein.
  • Experiments may have assessed the impact of this protein on Cdk5 activity in neuronal models.

Main Results:

  • A specific neuronal protein was found to regulate Cdk5 activity.
  • This regulation can switch Cdk5 from a "good" (developmental/functional) to a "bad" (pathological) state.

Conclusions:

  • The findings reveal a mechanism for Cdk5's opposing roles in the brain.
  • This discovery may offer new therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

More Related Videos

Experimental Approaches to Study Mitochondrial Localization and Function of a Nuclear Cell Cycle Kinase, Cdk113:15

Experimental Approaches to Study Mitochondrial Localization and Function of a Nuclear Cell Cycle Kinase, Cdk1

Published on: February 25, 2016

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay12:26

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay

Published on: May 3, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Positive Regulator Molecules01:45

Positive Regulator Molecules

To consistently produce healthy cells, the cell cycle—the process that generates daughter cells—must be precisely regulated.
133.4K
Positive Regulator Molecules02:39

Positive Regulator Molecules

Mitotic cell division results in daughter cells that exactly resemble the parent cell. However, errors in the DNA replication or distribution of genetic material may lead to genetic mutations that may be passed down to every new cell formed from the resulting abnormal cell. Propagation of such mutant cells is restricted through checkpoint mechanisms present at different stages of the cell cycle. These checkpoints involve regulator molecules that either promote or demote cell cycle events.
6.4K
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
5.5K
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
6.2K
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...
7.6K
DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle02:36

DNA Damage Can Stall the Cell Cycle

In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
3.0K