Multiple cellular behaviours depend on the rapid assembly and disassembly of the actin filament (F-actin) cytoskeleton 1. Under cellular conditions, F-actin assembly is favoured 2,3, making it ...

The cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells is made of filamentous proteins, and it provides mechanical support to the cell and its cytoplasmic constituents. All cytoskeletons consist of three major classes ...

The immune system provides constant surveillance for the body, aiming to spot and eliminate disease-causing microbes or ...

Researchers have visualized at the molecular level how formins bind to the ends of actin filaments. This allowed them to uncover how formins mediate the addition of new actin molecules to a growing ...

The dynamic processes that occur during the growth of actin, via polymerization, and the breakdown of actin both play significant roles in cellular mechanisms like migration and adhesion. Due to the ...

Our skin and mucous membranes are protected by epithelial cells. This barrier tissue performs its function thanks to specialized structures called junctions. They ensure cell cohesion and regulate ...

A microscopic flaw in the brain’s cellular scaffolding can shape brain size for life.

Scientists at Aarhus University have developed nanomotors inspired by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes and placed them inside artificial cells. The nanomotors drive the formation of internal ...

Buildup of a protein called filamentous actin, or F-actin, in the brain inhibits the removal of cellular wastes, including DNA, lipids, proteins and organelles. The resulting accumulation of waste ...