Mortalin: present and prospective.

Mortalin, also known as mthsp70/PBP74/GRP75, resides in multiple subcellular sites including mitochondria, ER, plasma membrane, cytoplasmic vesicles and cytosol. It is differentially distributed in normal and cancerous cells; the latter, when reverted back to normal phenotype, also show change in mortalin staining pattern similar to normal cells. Depending on its different subcellular niche and binding partner therein, mortalin is expected to perform multiple functions relevant to cell survival, control of proliferation and stress response.