Definition

A member of a group of genes that make proteins that send chemical signals from outside the cell to the cell’s nucleus to control many important cell functions, including cell growth, maturation, movement, and survival. Mutations (changes) in MEK genes can cause these proteins to be too active or found in higher-than-normal amounts on cancer cells. This may cause cancer cells to grow and spread. Drugs that block the mutant proteins made by MEK genes are used to treat many types of cancer. Also called MAP2K gene.