Tyrosine phosphatases: Cellular functions and therapeutic potential

Proper control of protein tyrosine phosphorylation, a post-translational modification that is critical for cell growth and differentiation, is accomplished through the actions of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Alterations in the activity of either of these enzymes can result in improper protein tyrosine phosphorylation which can lead to oncogenic transformation of cells. This review summarises recent advances in the identification and characterisation of protein tyrosine phosphatases and the patent literature related to these advances.