Glossary

Angiogenesis

Growth of new blood vessels from existing ones.

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Apoptosis

Cell suicide, where the cell activates a signalling pathway ordering cell death without lysis or damage to other cells.

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Auto-phosphorylation

When a kinase phosphorylates itself.

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Cytokine

Extracellular signal that mediates communication between neighbouring cells. Can be involved in the inflammatory response.

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Cytoplasmic

A molecule that remains within the cytoplasm of the cell.

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Differentiation

Process in which a cell become specialised.

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Dimerisation

When two of the same molecules bind together.

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Growth factors

Extracellular peptide signal that, on binding to a receptor, stimulates growth and proliferation

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Jak-STAT signalling

A signalling cascade involving the tyrosine kinase Janus (Jak) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATS).

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MAPK

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase, a protein kinase that relays signals from plasma membrane to nucleus.

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