Role of MAP kinase activation in bovine tracheal smooth muscle mitogenesis

A study on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP) activation in bovine tracheal myocytes after treatment with four potential mitogens, PDGF, EGF, insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and 5-HT, shows that kinase activity may be trigged by G-protein receptors not thought to be tyrosine kinase activators, while the kinase activating potential of PDGF and IFG-1 is high. Tracheal myocyte proliferation appears to be heavily reliant on sustained MAP kinase activity.