Find CDC42 Products Interaction Network for CDC42 CDC42 Details

Related Pathways Clatrin-mediated Endocytosis Ephrin Receptor Signaling SAPK/JNK Signaling View All Pathways

Synonyms: AI747189, AU018915, CDC42, CDC42HS, CELLULAR GROWTH REGULATING PROTEIN, G25K

CDC42 Pathway

CDC42 (cell division cycle 42, GTP binding protein) is a Rho-GTPase that transduces extracellular signals from G-coupled protein receptors (GPCR), integrins and growth factor receptors to effector molecules that modulate signaling pathways including: the MAP-kinase pathways; ERK, JNK and p38 activated by PAK, p21-activated kinase, family members. The ERK pathway mediates cell growth and differentiation while the JNK and the PAK1/p38 pathways modulate stress responses and apoptosis. CDC42 also regulates cytoskeletal organization via CEP2/3; actin polymerization pathways; SCAR and WASP; actin depolymerization pathway MRCK/LIMK; and myosin activation filament assembly via PAK1/MLCK/myosin. Cell:cell interaction is mediated via IOGAP.

Activation of these pathways requires the release of Cdc42 from CDC42:RhoGDI complexes in the cytoplasm by specific Cdc42-GDI kinases and targeting to cell membranes by isoprenyl moieties. Membrane associated Cdc42 is activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEF) such as FGD1, which exchanges GTP for GDP on Cdc42. Activated Cdc42 activates the effectors: PAK-1, -2, -3, -4, MLK3, MRCK, IQGAP, WASP and/or CEP2/3 depending upon cell phenotype and context. The activity of Cdc42 is down-regulated by Cdc42-GAPs (GTPase activating proteins). GAPs deplete Cdc42 GTP.