The Raf family of serine/threonine specific kinases is comprised of three members (aRaf, bRaf, and cRaf) that play a critical role in regulating cell growth and differentiation, and couple growth factor receptor stimulation to nuclear transcription factors via the Ras/mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. cRaf kinase (also known as Raf1) is a small GTPase like kinase of 73 kDa, and is a signal transducer of multiple extracellular stimuli that is regulated by several pathways, and that once activated, phosphorylates MEK which in turn phosphorylates ERK. Raf1 is involved in the transduction of mitogenic signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus. It is part of the Ras dependent signaling pathway from receptors to the nucleus.
