Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine: http://www.expertreviews.org/
DOI: 10.1017/S146239940600010X; 19 September 2006
Cynthia A. Zahnow (2006) ErbB receptors and their ligands in the breast. Expert Rev. Mol. Med. Vol. 8, Issue 23, DOI: 10.1017/S146239940600010X

ErbB receptors and their ligands in the breast

Cynthia A. Zahnow ^a1

^a1 The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Building, 1650 Orleans St, Baltimore, MD 21231-1000, USA. Tel: +1 410 955 8506; Fax: +1 410 614 9884; E-mail: zahnoci@jhmi.edu

ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases are membrane-bound receptors that possess intrinsic, ligand-activated, tyrosine kinase activity. Binding of growth factors to these receptors induces the formation of ErbB homo- and heterodimers and initiates a signalling cascade that traverses the cytoplasm to communicate with the nucleus and the cytoskeleton. The effect of this cascade is the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration and adhesion. Although ErbB signalling is important for normal growth and development in the breast, a dysregulation of ErbB activity can lead to tumourigenesis. This review will focus on the role of ErbB signalling in both normal mammary gland development and breast cancer, with an emphasis on the mechanisms behind receptor activation and the therapeutic agents designed to inhibit ErbB activity.

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