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Methods for Determining the Cellular Functions of Vimentin Intermediate Filaments
Karen M Ridge1, Dale Shumaker2, Amélie Robert3
1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Veterans Administration, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Methods in Enzymology
|January 23, 2016
Summary
Vimentin, a dynamic intermediate filament, is crucial for cell signaling. New methods allow detailed investigation into vimentin
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
Background:
- Vimentin, a type III intermediate filament protein, was traditionally viewed as a static structural component of the cytoskeleton.
- Emerging evidence highlights vimentin's dynamic nature and its significant role in cellular signaling pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a comprehensive overview of methodologies for investigating the cellular functions of vimentin and its associated intermediate filament network.
Main Methods:
- Chemical disruption
- Photoactivation and photoconversion
- Biolayer interferometry
- Soluble bead binding assay
- 3D substrate experiments
- Collagen gel contraction
- Optical-tweezer active microrheology
- Force spectrum microscopy
Main Results:
- The described techniques enable detailed probing of vimentin's contributions to fundamental cellular processes.
Conclusions:
- Advanced experimental methods provide unprecedented insights into the dynamic functions of vimentin.
- Further research using these techniques will elucidate vimentin's role in cell biology and disease.
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