RET proto-oncogene

The receptor tyrosine kinase Ret is a protein in the cell membrane of cells of vertebrates. As receptor tyrosine kinase Ret is responsible to forward the signal, which is caused by the docking of a ligand to the receptor portion of Ret in the interior of the cell. There then catalyzes the kinase domain of Ret phosphorylation of other specific proteins, thereby signaling cascade arises. These signals are essential during embryonic development for the fine-tuned differentiation of certain neurons of the autonomic nervous system, and renal cells. Mutations in the RET gene, which lead to a loss of Ret function, are a cause of congenital megacolon, Undine 's syndrome and renal agenesis.

In the adult organism Ret seems to have no function, but mutations in the RET gene that lead to prolonged enzyme activity associated with a variety of tumor types: colorectal cancer, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, papillary thyroid carcinoma ( PTC), multiple endocrine neoplasia types 2A and 2B ( MEN2A, MEN2B ), increased risk of pheochromocytoma. It is one of the RET gene, therefore, to the proto-oncogenes.

Protein isoform Human Genome Organisation Signal transduction Cellular differentiation Digital Object Identifier PubMed Central
680172
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