Cyclin Dependent Kinase Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Cyclin Dependent Kinase?

Cyclin Dependent Kinase (CDK) is a family of proteins involved in controlling the cell cycle, which is the process by which cells develop, divide and reproduce. CDKs work together with cyclins and other regulatory proteins to regulate the progression of cell division. It does this by phosphorylating certain proteins that activate or inhibit specific steps in the cell cycle. CDKs are important for ensuring accuracy throughout the process, as errors can lead to cancer and other diseases.CDKs are activated when they bind with cyclins, a type of protein produced during each stage of the cell cycle. Cyclins boost CDK activity and allow it to bind to target sites on specific proteins in order to phosphorylate them. This activates or inhibits different cellular processes that drive progression through the cell cycle stages such as DNA replication, mitosis and cytokinesis. In addition, some CDKs are involved in transcriptional regulation during embryonic development and differentiation as well as apoptosis (programmed cell death). In cancer cells, mutations in certain genes can cause dysregulated CDK activities leading to uncontrolled growth due to an accelerated rate of proliferation. Therefore, inhibition of these mutated kinases has become a focus for cancer therapy as it effectively slows down tumor growth. Several drugs have been developed that target specific CDKs involved in cancer pathways such as palbociclib (Ibrance), cabozantinib (Cabometyx) and ribociclib (Kisqali). Overall, Cyclin Dependent Kinases play an essential role in regulating proper progression through the various stages of mitosis during normal cellular function while their disruption can lead to diseases such as cancer if not controlled properly with drugs such as Ibrance or Cabometyx when necessary.