Summary: Publisher Summary 1 Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) function as components of signal transduction pathways and play a central role in the control of cell growth, metabolism, differentiation and apoptosis. Currently 20 different PTKs are being considered as potential therapeutic targets in oncology. In this collection of 11 articles, contributors describe their work in PTKs in such areas as using PTKs as targets for cancer and other indications, targeting Src homology 2 domains in drug discovery, using P12-kinase inhibition as a target for therapeutic intervention, using an activated FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase as a therapeutic target in leukemia and JAK kinases in leukemia, lymphomas and multiple myeloma, applying platelet-derived growth factor, using a targeted therapy for myelogenous leukemia, testing signal transduction inhibitors in animal models of cancer, and using phosphoproteomics in drug discovery and development. Annotation 漏2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)   Publisher Summary 2 Leading researchers, from the Novartis group that pioneered Gleevec/Glivec鈩?and around the world, comprehensively survey the state of the art in the drug discovery processes (bio- and chemoinformatics, structural biology, profiling, generation of resistance, etc.) aimed at generating PTK inhibitors for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Highlights include a discussion of the rationale and the progress made towards generating "selective" low molecular-weight kinase inhibitors; an analysis of the normal function, role in disease, and application of platelet-derived growth factor antagonists; and a summary of the factors involved in successful structure-based drug design. Additional chapters address the advantages and disadvantages of in vivo preclinical models for testing protein kinase inhibitors with antitumor activity and the utility of different methods in the drug discovery and development process for determining "on-target" vs "off-target" effects of kinase inhibitors.