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Protein kinase CK2 has received a surge of attention in recent years due to the evidence of its overexpression in a variety of solid tumors and multiple myelomas as well as its participation in cell survival pathways. CK2 is also upregulated in the most prevalent and aggressive cancer of brain tissue, glioblastoma multiforme, and in preclinical models, pharmacological inhibition of the kinase has proven successful in reducing tumor size and animal mortality. CK2 is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and has many bona fide substrates that are crucial in neuronal or glial homeostasis and signaling processes across synapses. Full and conditional CK2 knockout mice have further elucidated the importance of CK2 in brain development, neuronal activity, and behavior. This review will discuss recent advances in the field that point to CK2 as a regulator of neuronal functions and as a potential novel target to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the human kinomes, protein kinase CK2 (formerly termed casein kinase II) is considered to be essential, as it is implicated in the regulation of various cellular processes. Experiments with pharmacological inhibitors of the kinase activity of CK2 provide evidence that CK2 is essential for development and differentiation. Therefore, the present review addresses the role of CK2 during embryogenesis, neuronal, adipogenic, osteogenic and myogenic differentiation in established model cell lines, and in embryonic, neural and mesenchymal stem cells. CK2 kinase activity appears to be essential in the early stages of differentiation, as CK2 inhibition at early time points generally prevents differentiation. In addition, the present review reports on target proteins of CK2 in embryogenesis and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein kinase CK2 has received a surge of attention in recent years due to the evidence of its overexpression in a variety of solid tumors and multiple myelomas as well as its participation in cell survival pathways. CK2 is also upregulated in the most prevalent and aggressive cancer of brain tissue, glioblastoma multiforme, and in preclinical models, pharmacological inhibition of the kinase has proven successful in reducing tumor size and animal mortality. CK2 is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and has many bona fide substrates that are crucial in neuronal or glial homeostasis and signaling processes across synapses. Full and conditional CK2 knockout mice have further elucidated the importance of CK2 in brain development, neuronal activity, and behavior. This review will discuss recent advances in the field that point to CK2 as a regulator of neuronal functions and as a potential novel target to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders.