Scaffold protein

Scaffold proteins are a class of molecules that serve as molecular frameworks or platforms, bringing together multiple signaling or structural molecules to facilitate their interaction and activity, especially within cellular signaling pathways. They organize signaling complexes, modulate the specificity and localization of pathways, and play critical roles in processes like signal transduction, cell growth, differentiation, polarity, and DNA repair. Dysregulation of individual scaffold proteins has been implicated in diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. The broader term "cell scaffolding" may also refer to the cytoskeleton or structural proteins of the cell, which are distinct from signaling scaffold proteins and not considered a single therapeutic target.

Other names

Scaffolding proteinscaffolding molecule

Mechanisms would be scaffold-specific; some emerging strategies aim to disrupt or enhance specific scaffold protein interactions.