Discoidin Domain Receptor

Discoidin domain receptors (DDRs) are receptor tyrosine kinases with the unique ability among receptor tyrosine kinases to respond to collagen. Several signaling molecules have been implicated in DDR signaling, including Shp-2, Src, and MAPK pathways. DDRs have been reported to induce the expression of various genes including matrix metalloproteinases and bone morphogenetic proteins, but the regulatory mechanisms underlying DDR-induced gene expression remain to be determined. DDRs regulate cell-collagen interactions in normal and pathological conditions and thus are emerging as major sensors of collagen matrices and potential novel therapeutic targets.