p21 activated kinases (PAKs) are members of a family of
enzyme
An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...
s. They serve as targets for the small
GTP binding proteins
CDC42
Cell division control protein 42 homolog (Cdc42 or CDC42) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''CDC42'' gene. Cdc42 is involved in regulation of the cell cycle. It was originally identified in ''S. cerevisiae'' (yeast) as a mediator of ...
and
Rac and have been implicated in a wide range of biological activities.
Members include:
*
PAK1, regulating cell motility and morphology
*
PAK2, possibly playing a role in apoptosis
*
PAK3, possibly for dendritic development and for the rapid cytoskeletal reorganization in dendritic spines associated with synaptic plasticity
*
PAK4, a mediator of filopodia formation
*
PAK5, a mediator of filopodia formation
*
PAK6, involved in cytoskeleton rearrangement
References
External links
PAKInfo with links in th
Cell Migration Gateway
Human proteins
{{Protein-stub