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Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Gait Analysis of Age-dependent Motor Impairments in Mice with Neurodegeneration
Published on: June 18, 2018
The Cytoskeleton as a Modulator of Aging and Neurodegeneration
Konstantinos Kounakis1,2, Nektarios Tavernarakis3,4
1Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.
Abstract:
The cytoskeleton consists of filamentous protein polymers that form organized structures, contributing to a multitude of cell life aspects. It includes three types of polymers: the actin microfilaments, the microtubules and the intermediate filaments. Decades of research have implicated the cytoskeleton in processes that regulate cellular and organismal aging, as well as neurodegeneration associated with injury or neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Charcot Marie Tooth disease. Here, we provide a brief overview of cytoskeletal structure and function, and discuss experimental evidence linking cytoskeletal function and dynamics with aging and neurodegeneration.
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Introduction to the Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments present within the cell, having three distinct filaments ̶ microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. Each has characteristic features that distinguish them, including the dynamics of their assembly and disassembly, mechanical properties, polarity, and the type of molecular motors associated with them. Earlier, they were thought to be present only in eukaryotic cells; however, their...
Studying the Cytoskeleton

