CDK stands for Cyclin-Dependent Kinase. It refers to a family of enzymes that play a crucial role in cell cycle regulation and progression. CDKs are a group of protein kinases that require the presence of a cyclin protein to become active and execute their functions in the cell cycle.
The cell cycle is the series of events that occur in a cell leading to its division and duplication. CDKs are involved in controlling numerous stages of the cell cycle, including the initiation of DNA replication, the progression from one phase to another, and the transition to cell division. They work by phosphorylating target proteins, altering their activity and ultimately orchestrating the appropriate cellular responses.
CDKs operate in a highly regulated manner, as their activity is controlled by the presence and levels of cyclin proteins. Cyclins have a periodic expression pattern, meaning they are synthesized and degraded at specific points in the cell cycle. As cyclin levels fluctuate, they bind to CDKs and activate them, enabling the CDKs to perform their functions and regulate the progression of the cell cycle.
The dysregulation of CDK activity can have severe consequences for cell growth, division, and proliferation. Abnormal CDK activity has been associated with various diseases, including cancer, where uncontrolled cell division is a hallmark. Therefore, CDKs have been investigated as potential targets for therapy in cancer treatment, leading to the development of CDK inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs.
