Cell Logist. 2012 Apr 01;2(2):84-88. doi: 10.4161/cl.21381.
Cellular logistics
Mollie L Kelly, Jonathan Chernoff
PMID: 23162740 PMCID: PMC3490966 DOI: 10.4161/cl.21381
p21-activated kinases are a family of highly conserved protein serine/threonine kinases that are increasingly recognized as playing essential roles in a variety of key signaling processes. Genetic analyses in mice, using constitutive or regulated gene disruption, have provided important new insights into PAK function. In this paper, we review the genetic analysis of all six PAK genes in mice. These data address the singular and redundant functions of the various PAK genes and suggest therapeutic possibilities for small molecule PAK inhibitors or activators.