Ras family of small GTPases in immunity and inflammation

The Ras superfamily of small GTPases is a group of more than 150 small G proteins, all of which share some degree of homology to the founding member Ras. These small GTPases function as molecular switches within cells, impacting nearly all cellular processes. The Ras superfamily can be further divided into several smaller subfamilies, with those proteins that most closely resemble Ras belonging to the Ras subfamily. While heavily studied within the field of cancer biology, the Ras family of proteins also plays cardinal roles in immunity and inflammation. Here we review the roles of these molecular switches in regulating immune cell homeostasis and functions.

► Discuss the role and recent thought of the role of PI3K/ERK in immunity and inflammation.
► Review the differing roles of Rap1a and Rap1b within the immune system.
► Discuss the role of the Ral and RalGDS proteins in immunity and inflammation.