Epidermal growth factor receptor signaling

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a long known, versatile signal transducer that has been well conserved during evolution. It functions in a wide range of cellular processes including cell fate determination, proliferation, cell migration and apoptosis. The activity of the EGFR is subject to modulation by multiple positive and negative regulators and is transduced to the nucleus by several conserved signaling cassettes. Here we will briefly review the hallmarks of EGFRs and their functions as well as summarize some of the mechanisms cells use to modulate EGFR activity.