Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate.
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...
Microtubules in Cell Motility01:24

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells01:10

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

Actin and myosin or actomyosin filaments also play a significant role in cells other than those involved in muscle contraction (which occurs within the sarcomere of muscle cells). The mechanism of non-muscle cell contractile bundles was first observed in Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba. In non-muscle cells, two bundles are commonly found: stress fibers and actomyosin adherence belts. These contractile bundles are smaller and less organized than the ones found in muscle cells. They  are held...
Introduction to Actin01:26

Introduction to Actin

Actin is a highly conserved cytoskeletal protein found abundantly in eukaryotic cells. It constitutes 10% weight of the total cellular protein in muscle cells, while in non-muscle cells, it is lower and makes up around 1–5 percent of the total cell protein. Actin found in the unicellular amoebae and complex multicellular animals is around 80% similar, demonstrating their conservation over a billion years of evolution.  Actin coding genes are conserved within species and across different species.
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

CARMIL membrane-binding domain regulates capping protein and actin assembly.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2026
Same author

All Hazards Great and Small: Applying Disaster Risk Reduction to Environmental Justice Communities in South Carolina.

GeoHealth·2026
Same author

Physical Confinement Modulates the Rate-Limiting Transition in the Release of Phosphate from Actin Filaments.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Guidelines for Successful Actin Polymerization Experiments.

Cytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.)·2026
Same author

Addendum: CYTOPLASMIC FILAMENTS OF AMOEBA PROTEUS: I. The Role of Filaments in Consistency Changes and Movement.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

Biochemical Functions of the Membrane-Binding Domain of CARMIL.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Aip1p Dynamics Are Altered by the R256H Mutation in Actin
08:57

Aip1p Dynamics Are Altered by the R256H Mutation in Actin

Published on: July 30, 2014

Actin, a central player in cell shape and movement.

Thomas D Pollard1, John A Cooper

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, Post Office Box 208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA. thomas.pollard@yale.edu

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 8, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Actin filaments provide essential cellular mechanical support and movement. Further research into actin

More Related Videos

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins
08:40

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins

Published on: October 28, 2022

Analyses of Actin Dynamics, Clutch Coupling and Traction Force for Growth Cone Advance
07:53

Analyses of Actin Dynamics, Clutch Coupling and Traction Force for Growth Cone Advance

Published on: October 21, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Aip1p Dynamics Are Altered by the R256H Mutation in Actin
08:57

Aip1p Dynamics Are Altered by the R256H Mutation in Actin

Published on: July 30, 2014

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins
08:40

Reconstitution of Actin-Based Motility with Commercially Available Proteins

Published on: October 28, 2022

Analyses of Actin Dynamics, Clutch Coupling and Traction Force for Growth Cone Advance
07:53

Analyses of Actin Dynamics, Clutch Coupling and Traction Force for Growth Cone Advance

Published on: October 21, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Actin protein forms filaments crucial for cellular structure and motility.
  • Actin dynamics are fundamental to diverse cellular processes including force sensing, endocytosis, cell migration, and cytokinesis.
  • These complex cellular activities rely on intricate interactions between actin monomers, filaments, and various associated proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize key unanswered questions in actin-related research.
  • To propose methodologies for addressing these critical questions in cell biology.
  • To highlight the importance of understanding actin's molecular mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of current research.
  • Identification of critical knowledge gaps in actin biology.
  • Proposing future research directions, including computational modeling and live-cell imaging.

Main Results:

  • Identified key questions regarding actin's role in cellular mechanics and dynamics.
  • Outlined strategies for future research to elucidate actin-based mechanisms.
  • Emphasized the need for integrated approaches combining experimental and computational methods.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding actin-based cellular phenomena requires identifying all participating molecules.
  • Defining the precise molecular mechanisms of actin interactions is essential.
  • Integrating quantitative live-cell measurements with computational simulations will yield significant insights into actin's functions.