这个基因编码有丝分裂原活化蛋白激酶家族的一个成员。MAP激酶作为多种生化信号的整合点，参与细胞增殖、分化、转录调控和发育等多种过程。编码蛋白是p38 MAP激酶，被促炎细胞因子和细胞应激激活。编码蛋白的底物包括转录因子atf2和微管动力学调节因子stathmin。另外，已经观察到该基因的剪接转录变体。[由RefSeq提供，2012年7月]
This gene encodes a member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. MAP kinases act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals, and are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation and development. The encoded protein is a p38 MAP kinase and is activated by proinflammatory cytokines and cellular stress. Substrates of the encoded protein include the transcription factor ATF2 and the microtubule dynamics regulator stathmin. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been observed for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2012]