Oncogenes are links in cellular communication. They are not, by far, the only messenger system but alterations or corruption of these genes, even of a very few, causes breakdowns in cellular cooperation. Such breakdowns can be fatal, when they can result in loss of control, rogue proliferation and finally, cancer. The signaling pathways may be complex; growth factors, cytokines, receptors and various enzyme systems participate. One of the latter is the Src protein; when released from its normal, inactive form, all hell breaks loose and the ensuing flurry of phosphorylation leads to cancerous transformations.
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