What does CKI mean in LABORATORY

A cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) is a type of protein that inhibits the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). CKIs block CDK activity by binding to and blocking its enzymatic activity or by inhibiting its ability to bind to its activating partner, the cyclin.

CKI proteins play an important role in regulating many cellular processes, such as cell cycle progression and transcriptional regulation. In addition, they can also influence other activities such as apoptosis, DNA repair, and signal transduction pathways.

CKI proteins can control cell cycle progression by either preventing CDK activation or by suppressing downstream targets involved in cell proliferation. By regulating the levels of active CDKs and their associated substrates, CKIs can modulate the timing and rate at which cells progress through different phases of the cell cycle.

In addition to modulating cell proliferation, CKI proteins also play a role in regulating several important signaling pathways. These include pathways involved in stress adaptation, metabolism regulation, inflammation response, DNA damage response, and immune response.

Yes, mutations in genes encoding for CKIs have been linked to abnormal tumors development and cancerogenesis. In addition, disruption of CKIs has been reported to be associated with neurological disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease.