Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Three-Dimensional (3D) Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay
12:19

Three-Dimensional (3D) Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay

Published on: May 1, 2015

Receptor tyrosine kinases: principles and functions in glioma invasion

Mitsutoshi Nakada1, Daisuke Kita, Lei Teng

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-8640, Japan. mnakada@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|August 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are crucial for cell signaling and cancer development. This review highlights RTK roles in glioma invasion, suggesting RTKs as potential therapeutic targets for brain tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) regulate cellular functions through phosphorylation.
  • Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are cell surface enzymes activated by extracellular ligands.
  • PTKs are vital for normal cellular processes, including proliferation and differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize recent findings on the role of RTKs in glioma pathobiology.
  • To investigate the specific involvement of RTKs in the invasive phenotype of gliomas.
  • To explore the potential of RTKs as therapeutic targets for glioma treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on RTKs and glioma.
  • Analysis of the role of specific RTKs (e.g., EGFR, PDGFR, c-Met) in glioma invasion.
  • Synthesis of current knowledge on RTK signaling pathways in glioma.

Main Results:

  • RTKs are implicated in regulating normal cellular functions.
  • Specific RTKs, including EGFR, PDGFR, c-Met, Tie, Axl, DDR1, and Eph, are significantly involved in glioma invasion.
  • Dysregulation of RTK signaling contributes to glioma pathobiology and invasiveness.

Conclusions:

  • RTKs play a critical role in the development and progression of various cancers, including gliomas.
  • Understanding RTK involvement in glioma invasion is key to developing targeted therapies.
  • RTKs represent a promising therapeutic avenue for combating glioma.

More Related Videos

Coculture Assays to Study Macrophage and Microglia Stimulation of Glioblastoma Invasion09:23

Coculture Assays to Study Macrophage and Microglia Stimulation of Glioblastoma Invasion

Published on: October 20, 2016

A Human Glioblastoma Organotypic Slice Culture Model for Study of Tumor Cell Migration and Patient-specific Effects of Anti-Invasive Drugs08:35

A Human Glioblastoma Organotypic Slice Culture Model for Study of Tumor Cell Migration and Patient-specific Effects of Anti-Invasive Drugs

Published on: July 20, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
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...
Enzyme-linked Receptors01:00

Enzyme-linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are proteins that act as both receptor and enzyme, activating multiple intracellular signals. This is a large group of receptors that include the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. Many growth factors and hormones bind to and activate the RTKs.
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases01:26

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases

Receptor tyrosine kinases or RTKs are membrane-bound receptors that phosphorylate specific tyrosine on protein substrates. RTKs regulate cellular growth, differentiation, survival, and migration. They contain an extracellular ligand binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytosolic tail with intrinsic kinase activity. Several extracellular signaling molecules activate RTKs in one or more ways and relay the signal downstream. Ligands such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or...
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include: