Mapk9 - mitogen-activated protein kinase 9

The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the MAP kinase family. MAP kinases are multifunctional proteins. They are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as growth, proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation, and development. They function in stress responses, apoptosis, inflammation and transformation. For example, this kinase plays a dominant role in mediating proliferation of lung cancer and prostate cancer cells, and in regulation of osmotic stress-induced tight junction disruption. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2012]