Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a widely expressed cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase involved in integrin-mediated signal transduction. FAK is concentrated at the basal edge of only those basal keratinocytes that are actively migrating and rapidly proliferating in repairing burn wounds and is activated and localized to the focal adhesions of spreading keratinocytes in culture. Activation of FAK by integrin clustering leads to autophosphorylation at Tyr397, which is a binding site for the Src family kinases PI3K and PLCγ.
