Regulation of Cell Migration and Morphogenesis by Tyrosine Kinases

Tyrosine kinases orchestrate dynamic cellular behaviours by phosphorylating key signalling molecules that govern cytoskeletal remodelling, adhesion turnover and directional movement. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) such as Met, Eph and fibroblast growth factor receptors translate extracellular cues into intracellular signals that activate small GTPases, lipid kinases and actin-binding proteins. Non-receptor tyrosine kinases, notably the ABL family and Src kinases, integrate signals at focal adhesions and membrane protrusions to modulate actin branching, bundling and severing. Through spatially restricted phosphorylation events, these enzymes regulate the formation of filopodia, lamellipodia and stress fibres, enabling cells to migrate, invade and adopt complex three-dimensional shapes. Feedback loops between tyrosine kinases, scaffold proteins like RACK1 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and mechanotransduction pathways ensure coordinated tissue morphogenesis during development, wound repair and angiogenesis. Dysregulation of tyrosine kinase activity underlies pathological processes including fibrosis, impaired tissue organization and metastatic dissemination.

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Regulation of Cell Migration and Morphogenesis by Tyrosine Kinases publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in regulation of cell migration and morphogenesis by tyrosine kinases across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Receptor tyrosine kinase: A cell-surface receptor that phosphorylates specific tyrosine residues on target proteins following ligand binding, initiating intracellular signalling cascades.

Non-receptor tyrosine kinase: A cytoplasmic enzyme that phosphorylates substrates on tyrosine residues in response to upstream signals, often at adhesion sites or on scaffold proteins.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK): A cytoplasmic kinase that localises to cell–matrix contact sites, regulating adhesion dynamics and actin assembly during migration.

Filopodia: Thin, actin-rich protrusions at the leading edge of migrating cells, involved in environmental sensing and directional guidance.

Lamellipodia: Broad, sheet-like extensions of the plasma membrane driven by branched actin networks, essential for forward cell movement.

References

1. The scaffolding protein AKAP12 regulates mRNA localization and translation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2024).
2. The c-Abl-RACK1-FAK signaling axis promotes renal fibrosis in mice through regulating fibroblast-myofibroblast transition. Cell Communication and Signaling (2024).
3. Inter-plane feedback coordinates cell morphogenesis and maintains 3D tissue organization in the Drosophila pupal retina. Development (2024).