p21 gene

There are three genes associated with human tumors in the ras gene family: & mdash; & mdash; H-ras, K-ras and N-ras, which are located on chromosomes 11, 12, and 1, respectively. K-ras is also known as the p21 gene because it encodes a 21kD ras protein. Among the ras genes, K-Ras has the greatest effect on human cancer. It looks like a molecular switch: when it is normal, it can control the path that regulates cell growth; when it is abnormal, it causes the cell to continue to grow and prevents the cell from destroying itself. She is involved in intracellular signal transmission. When the K-ras gene is mutated, the gene is permanently activated and cannot produce normal ras protein, which disrupts intracellular signaling, uncontrolled cell proliferation and canceration.