Reck (other)
Reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs, also known as RECK, is a human gene, thought to be a metastasis suppressor. The protein encoded by this gene is a cysteine-rich, extracellular protein with protease inhibitor-like domains whose expression is suppressed strongly in many tumors and cells transformed by various kinds of oncogenes. In normal cells, this membrane-anchored glycoprotein may serve as a negative regulator for matrix metalloproteinase-9, a key enzyme involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. It is one of the targets of an oncomiR, MIRN21 microRNA 21 also known as hsa-mir-21 or miRNA21 is a mammalian microRNA that is encoded by the ''MIR21'' gene. MIRN21 was one of the first mammalian microRNAs identified. The mature miR-21 sequence is strongly conserved throughout evolution. Th .... References Further reading * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{gene-9-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity and the molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protein-coding genes and noncoding genes. During gene expression, the DNA is first copied into RNA. The RNA can be directly functional or be the intermediate template for a protein that performs a function. The transmission of genes to an organism's offspring is the basis of the inheritance of phenotypic traits. These genes make up different DNA sequences called genotypes. Genotypes along with environmental and developmental factors determine what the phenotypes will be. Most biological traits are under the influence of polygenes (many different genes) as well as gen ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Metastasis Suppressor
A metastasis suppressor is a protein that acts to slow or prevent metastases (secondary tumors) from spreading in the body of an organism with cancer. Metastasis is one of the most lethal cancer processes. This process is responsible for about ninety percent of human cancer deaths. Proteins that act to slow or prevent metastases are different from those that act to suppress tumor growth. Genes for about a dozen such proteins are known in humans and other animals. Background The treatment of cancer usually aims to destroy and/or stop the growth of the primary tumor. Major improvements in the methods of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have taken place, but corresponding improvements in patient survival have not always followed. Treatments that focus on the primary cancer typically do not address metastasis. Metastasis suppressors act by different mechanisms than tumor suppressors and do not affect primary tumors. Tumor suppressors, however, also inhibit metastasis, since meta ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |