MAP (mitogen-activated protein) kinases play a significant role in many biological processes, including cell adhesion and spreading, cell differentiation and apoptosis. p38α, p38β and p38γ, also known as MAPK14, MAPK11 and MAPK12, respectively, each contain one protein kinase domain and belong to the MAP kinase family. Expressed in different areas throughout the body with common expression patterns in heart, p38 proteins use magnesium as a cofactor to catalyze the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of target proteins. Via their catalytic activity, p38α, p38β and p38γ are involved in a variety of events throughout the cell, including signal transduction pathways, cytokine production and cell proliferation and differentiation. The p38 proteins are subject to phosphoryation on Thr and Tyr residues, an event which is thought to activate the phosphorylated protein.
