Definition: Complex sequences of proteins and other molecules that, when activated, ultimately change some aspect of cell behavior. These pathways can change cell behavior in an abnormal way, which can ultimately lead to disease.
Cellular pathways are increasingly referred to in scientific studies, as researchers discover how cells work in the process of disease. Studying every step in a cellular pathway can help scientists develop treatments that could stop the disease process by altering the abnormal behavior of the cells.
Examples: Cellular pathways are of particular interest in studies of diabetes. At least two different kinds of cellular pathways are thought to be responsible for the destruction of pancreatic islet cells in type 1 diabetes. If researchers can learn all the steps in these cellular pathways, loss of islet cells may be prevented. This could effectively stop type 1 diabetes from developing.
