1. The past two decades have witnessed great advances in our understanding
of the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in signal transduction, The Ca2+-acti
vated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase discovered by Nishizuka's grou
p in 1977 is now a family of at least 11 isoforms. Protein kinase C isoform
s exist in different proportions in a host of mammalian cells and each isof
orm has a characteristic subcellular distribution in each cell type.
2. Stimulation of a specific PKC isoform often causes redistribution of the
isoform from one subcellular compartment to another compartment where it c
omplexes with and phosphorylates a specific protein substrate.
3. The interaction of a specific PKC isoform with its protein substrate may
directly activate a specific function of the cell or may trigger a cascade
of protein kinases that ultimately stimulates a specific response in diffe
rentiated cells or regulates growth and proliferation in undifferentiated c
ells.