Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs)

The existence of membrane-bound receptors provides a communicating bridge between the outside and inside of the cells through a hydrophobic membrane. In the central nervous system (CNS), receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is a large family of membrane-bound receptors that are involved in a wide variety of neuronal functions ranging from cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, metabolism, inflammation to cell apoptosis. These receptors have been shown to be implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, RTKs may provide an important pharmacological target for the management and/or treatment of CNS disorders. This chapter describes the structural detail and classification of RTKs present in CNS, the signaling pathway associated with each class, and the involvement of RTKs particularly in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders.