BRAF belongs to a family of serine-threonine protein kinases. As a part of a signaling pathway known as the the RAS/MAPK pathway, it plays an important part in many cellular processes. The processes include cell proliferation, differentiation and transcriptional regulation. Mutations in the BRAF gene cause diseases. Inherited mutations in BRAF cause cardio faciocutaneous syndrome. Acquired mutations in BRAF have been found in cancers.