Axonal Spectrins: Nanoscale Organization, Functional Domains and Spectrinopathies.

ABSTRACT: Spectrin cytoskeletons are found in all metazoan cells, and their physical interactions between actin and ankyrins establish a meshwork that provides cellular structural integrity. With advanced super-resolution microscopy, the intricate spatial organization and associated functional properties of these cytoskeletons can now be analyzed with unprecedented clarity. Long neuronal processes like peripheral sensory and motor axons may be subject to intense mechanical forces including bending, stretching, and torsion. The spectrin-based cytoskeleton is essential to protect axons against these mechanical stresses. Additionally, spectrins are critical for the assembly and maintenance of axonal excitable domains including the axon initial segment and the nodes of Ranvier (NoR). These sites facilit

SUBMITTER: Liu CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6546920 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature