TRK protein family (… PROH-teen FA-mih-lee)
A family of proteins that are found on nerve cells. They are involved in cell signaling pathways that control cell growth, cell maturation, and cell survival. The genes that make the TRK proteins may have mutations (changes) that cause abnormal TRK proteins to be made. These abnormal proteins may be too active or found in higher than normal amounts on some types of cancer cells, which may cause cancer cells to grow. Drugs that block TRK proteins are being used in the treatment of some types of cancer. TRK proteins are receptor tyrosine kinases. Also called tropomyosin receptor kinase protein family.