PDGF- and VEGF-receptor related (Pvr) (Pvr)

Stasis (stai), canonically known as PDGF- and VEGF-receptor related (Pvr), is a Drosophila receptor tyrosine kinase that serves as the evolutionary ortholog to human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors. The gene was named 'stasis' because its inactivation leads to the arrest or slowing of embryonic blood cell (hemocyte) migration, a critical developmental process. Stasis/Pvr coordinates diverse biological activities—including cell survival, wound healing, and stem cell maintenance—by activating major intracellular signaling pathways such as Ras/MAPK and PI3K/AKT. In a pharmaceutical context, the human counterparts of this receptor are major therapeutic targets in oncology, as they are essential for the pathological angiogenesis that drives tumor growth and metastatic progression. Small-molecule kinase inhibitors such as sunitinib and sorafenib are clinically utilized to block this receptor axis, though such therapies are often associated with significant cardiovascular safety concerns, including hypertension and heart failure, due to the receptor's vital role in maintaining vascular and cardiac homeostasis.

Other names

StasisstaiDrosophila vascular endothelial growth factor receptor homologVegfrPlatelet-derived growth factor receptor related

Inhibition of receptor tyrosine kinase activity by competing with ATP for binding to the intracellular kinase domain, thereby blocking downstream signaling cascades such as Ras/MAPK and PI3K/AKT.