Saylor.org's Cell Biology/Cyclins and Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs)

One of the most exciting developments of the last decade has been the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that control the progression of eukaryotic cells through the division cycle. Our current understanding of cell cycle regulation has emerged from a convergence of results obtained through experiments on organisms as diverse as yeasts, sea urchins, frogs, and mammals. These studies have revealed that the cell cycle of all eukaryotes is controlled by a conserved set of protein kinases, which are responsible for triggering the major cell cycle transitions.