Background：

Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase implicated in the regulation of a variety of signaling pathways that control the differentiation and maintenance of normal epithelia， as well as tumor growth. Function seems to be context dependent and differ depending on cell type， as well as its intracellular localization. A number of potential nuclear and cytoplasmic substrates have been identified. These include the RNA-binding proteins: KHDRBS1/SAM68， KHDRBS2/SLM1， KHDRBS3/SLM2 and SFPQ/PSF; transcription factors: STAT3 and STAT5A/B and a variety of signaling molecules: ARHGAP35/p190RhoGAP， PXN/paxillin， BTK/ATK， STAP2/BKS. Associates also with a variety of proteins that are likely upstream of PTK6 in various signaling pathways， or for which PTK6 may play an adapter-like role. These proteins include ADAM15， EGFR， ERBB2， ERBB3 and IRS4. In normal or non-tumorigenic tissues， PTK6 promotes cellular differentiation and apoptosis. In tumors PTK6 contributes to cancer progression by sensitizing cells