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Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 4, 971–975 (1 December 2003) | doi:10.1038/nrm1258

Lateral phosphorylation propagation: an aspect of feedback signalling?

Christian Tischer & Philippe I. H. Bastiaens

Local stimulation with epidermal growth factor can induce lateral propagation of epidermal-growth-factor-receptor phosphorylation at the plasma membrane. We discuss mechanisms of phosphorylation propagation and its possible function. Is it the spatial transmission of a local stimulus or is it an aspect of a feedback-signalling-reaction network that generates a switch response to growth-factor stimulation?