Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in cardiac tissues

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) has recently emerged as a prominent role player in intracellular signalling in the ventricular myocyte with attention being focussed on its possible role in the development of ventricular hypertrophy. It is becoming clear that MAPK is also active in other cells of cardiac origin such as cardiac fibroblasts and possible functions of this signalling pathway in the heart have yet to be explored. In this report the mammalian MAPK pathway is briefly outlined, before reviewing current knowledge of the MAPK pathway in cardiac tissue (ventricular myocytes, vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiac fibroblasts). New data is also presented on the presence and activity of MAPK in two additional cardiac celltypes namely atrial myocytes and vascular endothelial cells from the coronary microcirculation.