ROCK1 is a protein serine/threonine kinase also known as rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1, and is a major downstream effector of the small GTPase RhoA and is a regulator of the actomyosin cytoskeleton which promotes contractile force generation. ROCK1 has a ubiquitous tissue distribution, but subcellularly it is thought to colocalize with the centrosomes. In humans, the main function of ROCK1 is actomyosin contractility. In addition, ROCK kinases influence more distal cellular processes including gene transcription, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and oncogenic transformation.