Syk (spleen tyrosine kinase) is a 635 amino acid protein that contains one protein kinase domain and two SH2 domains. One of several members of the protein kinase superfamily, Syk functions as a positive effector of B cell antigen receptor (CD79)-stimulated responses, coupling CD79 with the movement of one calcium ion through one of two phospho-regulated pathways. Via its ability to influence CD79 activity and to control the movement of calicum through the cell, Syk plays an important role in a variety of cellular responses, including differentiation, phagocytosis, proliferation and B cell development. Syk expression is upregulated in T cell lymphoma, suggesting a possible role for Syk in tumorigenesis. Two isoforms of Syk, designated short and long, exist due to alternative splicing events.
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