INTERACTIONS OF UPAR - IMPACT ON RECEPTOR REGULATION AND SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION

This review focuses on signal transduction via the urokinase receptor, a very controversial issue. It describes data on membrane and extrace llular matrix proteins interacting with this receptor, phosphorylation events induced by activation of the receptor, and influence of recept or activation on gene regulation and biologic functions of Various cel ls. Due to the use of many different cells and culture conditions by d ifferent authors, and their focus on specific events within signaling cascades, a conclusive pathway of signal transduction via the urokinas e receptor is still lacking. Actually this receptor seems to modify di fferent signaling pathways used by integrins or cytokines rather than activate a signaling pathway of its own.