MAP Kinase Activation by Receptor Tyrosine Kinases: In Control of Cell Migration

A myriad of cellular processes instigated by growth factors are mediated by cell surface-associated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Subsequent downstream activation of signaling cascades, as well as their crosstalk, endows specificity in terms of the phenotypic outcome, e.g., cellular proliferation, migration, or differentiation. Such signaling diversity is exemplified by the ability of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to stimulate different MAPK cascades, especially the ERK1/2 cascade. It has been shown that the ability of the ERK1/2 cascade to specify cell fate, such as cell migration, is dependent on signal duration governed by feedback control. Here we focus on one experimental system, MCF10A human mammary cells, and a phenotypic outcome of cell migration. We present methods to identify key components of underlying cascades and their effects on the migratory phenotype. We focus on profiling activation of signaling modules, as well as transcriptional regulation, emphasizing the high-throughput potential of such approaches.