Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase

 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) are a family of kinases with vital roles among eukaryotes in the following cellular processes: proliferation, differentiation, movement, response to environmental changes, and death (Junttila MR Et. Al. (2008)).  MAPKs phosphorylate and are phosphorylated on serine/threonine residues.  These kinases have been observed to function in cascades starting with Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase (MAPKKK) which phosphorylates Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase (MAPKK) which finally phosphorylates a MAPK (Junttila MR Et. Al. (2008)).  The MAPK may either directly elicite a cellular action or phosphorylate an effector protein that will elicite a cellular response (Junttila MR Et. Al. (2008)).  

Junttila MR, Li SP, Westermarck J (2008) Phosphatase-mediated crosstalk between MAPK signaling pathways in the regulation of cell survival. FASEB J. 22(4), 954–65.