Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Active ERK in the C. elegans Germline
Published on: November 29, 2016
MEK/ERK-PATHWAY IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN CYTOPROTECTIVE AUTOPHAGY PROCESS IN IRRADIATED E1A+cHa-Ras TRANSFORMANTS
Abstract:
Autophagy is a conservative process of misfolded protein and damaged organelle degradation that serves to support cellular viability. Autophagy is often induced in response to stress, DNA damage, retinoids, starvation and growth factor withdrawal. The aim of the present work was to study autophagic response of E1A+cHa-Ras-transformed cells to irradiation and to analyze the role of MEK/ERK pathway in regulation of autophagy induced by irradiation. MEK/ERK suppression has been found to decrease the viability of irradiated cells. Inhibition of MEK/ERK pathway leads to the changes in the autophagy induced by irradiation connected with disturbances of final stages followed by accumulation of adaptor protein p62/SQSTM1 in autophagic cavities within cytoplasm. Thus, the data obtained allow to suggest that active MEK/ERK pathway is required to support, the cytoprotective autophagy which is induced in response to irradiation of transformed E1A+cHa-ras cells.
Related Concept Videos
Antigen Processing Pathways
MHC Class I: Presenting Endogenous...
The Ras Gene
Ras is a...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Autophagy
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
Bacterial Transformation
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
Requirements for Human Life
Oxygen
Atmospheric air is only about 20 percent oxygen, but that oxygen is a key component of the chemical reactions that keep the body alive, including the reactions that produce ATP. Brain cells are susceptible to a lack of oxygen because they require a...

