NCK family adaptor proteins function to couple tyrosine phosphorylation signals to regulate actin cytoskeletal reorganization that leads to cell motility. Cytoplasmic protein NCK1 (or NCK alpha) is an adapter protein which associates with tyrosine-phosphorylated growth factor receptors, such as KDR and PDGFRB, or their cellular substrates. NCK1 binds a number of intracellular proteins and influences various signaling pathways including GTPase-activating protein of Ras (RasGAP), which is responsible for the down-regulation of Ras. NCK1 is recently reported to regulate the UPR, which secondary to obesity impairs glucose homeostasis and insulin actions.