Dual-specificity protein phosphatases are a subclass of protein tyrosine phosphatases that are uniquely able to hydrolyse the phosphate ester bond on both a tyrosine and a threonine or serine residue on the same protein. Dual-specificity phosphatases have a central role in the complex regulation of signalling pathways that are involved in cell stress responses, proliferation and death. (from Nat Rev Drug Discov 2002;1:961-76) [ ]