※ Met family introduction

    Met kinase, also known HGF/SF receptor, belong to receptor tyrosine family. Met is a heterodimer containing an extracellular α-subunit which bond to a transmembrane β-subunit. The β-subunit also possess the intracellular catalytic activity. In addtion, extracellular regions also contain two functional regions, the PSI domain and four conserved IPT domains. The intracellular segment contains a Juxtamembrane sequence, a catalytic region and multifunctional docking sites. Several key tyrosine residues have been identified to be involved in kinase activation or recruitment of other transducers and adaptors. The Met is responsible for the signal transduction from cell membrane to cytoplasm via different signaling pathway, including the MAPK cascades, the PI3K-Akt axis, the STAT pathway and the CNF-κB pathway etc. Met singalings play an important roles in development and disease. Via signal transduction to distinct adaptors, Met mediate the regulation of embryonic development, organ regeneration and even tumorigenesis (1).

Reference
1. Trusolino, L., Bertotti, A. and Comoglio, P.M. (2010) MET signalling: principles and functions in development, organ regeneration and cancer. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol, 11, 834-848. PMID: 21102609