Actin cytoskeleton dynamics

Imaging Actin Cytoskeleton Dynamics in Dictyostelium Chemotaxis... 

Sechi, A. S. and Wehland, J. (2004) Ena/ VASP proteins multifunctional regulators of actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Front. Biosci. 9, 1294-1310. 

Dhonukshe, P., Grigoriev, I., Fischer, R. et al. (2008). Auxin transport inhibitors impair vesicle motility and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in diverse eukaryotes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105,4489-4494. 

Edwards K.A., Demsky M., Montaque R.A, Weymouth N., and Kiehart D.R 1997. GFP-moesin illuminates actin cytoskeleton dynamics in living tissue and demonstrates cell shape changes during morphogenesis in Drosophila. Dev. Biol. 191 103-117. 

Roberts, T. M., and Stewart, M. (2000). Acting like actin The dynamics of the nematode major sperm protein (MSP) cytoskeleton indicate a push-pull mechanism for amoeboid cell motility./ Cell Biol. 149, 7-12. 

Despite this complexity, most integrins share two, key interrelated functions first, to promote the assembly and organization of the actin cytoskeleton [122, 123] and second, to regulate signal transduction cascades [124-126], Spanning the cell membrane, these subunits serve as a communication pathway, linking the actin cytoskeleton and intracellular cytoplasmic proteins involved in focal adhesion complexes (FACs) with the cell s dynamic extracellular environment (Fig. 8) [127-130]. There are at least 50 distinct proteins known to be involved in FACs. Actin [131], vinculin, talin, tensin, a-actinin, and filamin provide a structural role, while focal adhesion kinase [132], integrin-linked kinase, Src-family kinase, PINCH, paxillin... 

Yarar, D., Waterman-Stoier, C M. and Schmid, S.L. (2005) A dynamic actin cytoskeleton functions at multiple stages of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Mol. Biol. Cell 16,964-975. 

Actin Filaments and Interactions of Actin with Other Molecules The dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton power cell migration therefore, actin has also been the primary target of cell migration inhibitors, and many small molecules that target the actin cytoskeleton directly are now available (Fig. 9-5). Such inhibitors can be classified into two broad categories (1) inhibitors that primarily disrupt actin filament assembly by a variety of mechanisms and effectively destabiUze filaments, and (2) inhibitors that stabilize filaments and induce actin polymerization. 

Within cells, the actin cytoskeleton Is dynamic, with filaments able to grow and shrink rapidly. 

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