The MAPK Signaling Pathway

The Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways transduce a large variety of external signals, leading to a wide range of cellular responses, including growth, differentiation, inflammation and apoptosis.  These pathways are characterized by the following general path:

Stimulus  >  MAPKKK  >  MAPKK  >  MAPK  >  Response

where MAPKK is the kinase of MAPK and MAPKKK is the kinase of MAPKK.  In most cases, the MAPKKK is activated by small G proteins such as Ras, Rac and Rap1.  However, it may also be activated by other enzymes.

In mammals, three major MAPK pathways have been identified: MAPK/ERK, SAPK/JNK, and p38 MAPK.

Pathway Diagrams - From Cell Signaling Technology

• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascades (overview)
• MAPK/ERK in Growth and Differentiation
• G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Signaling to MAPK/ERK
• SAPK/JNK Signaling Cascades
• Signaling Pathways Activating p38 MAPK

Review Articles:

Raf kinase as a target for anticancer therapeutics - Mol. Cancer Thera., 2005.

ERK and p38 MAPK-Activated Protein Kinases: a Family of Protein Kinases with Diverse Biological Functions - Microbiol. and Mol. Biol. Rev., 2004.

MAP kinase signaling pathways and hematologic malignancies - Blood, 2003.

Dual specificity phosphatases: a gene family for control of MAP kinase function - FASEB J., 2000

Control of the eukaryotic cell cycle by MAP kinase signaling pathways - FASEB J., 2000

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases: Specific Messages from Ubiquitous Messengers - Molecular and Cellular Biology, 1999.

Control of MAP kinase signaling specificity or how not to go HOG wild - Genes and Development, 1998.