Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands in neural development.

Receptor tyrosine kinases play important roles in many developmental phenomena, including the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. The largest subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases are the Eph receptors, which are widely expressed in the nervous system. With the recent identification of several Eph ligands, it has become evident that Eph receptors and their ligands are involved in the guidance of retinal axons and in the process of hindbrain segmentation.