Fluorescent imaging of cytoskeletal structures permits studies of both organization within the cell and dynamic reorganization of the cytoskeleton itself. Traditional fluorescent labels of microtubules, part of the cytoskeleton, have been used to study microtubule localization, structure, and dynamics, both in vivo and in vitro. However, shortcomings of existing labels make imaging of microtubu...

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that plant mitochondrial movements are myosin-based along actin filaments, which undergo continuous turnover by the exchange of actin subunits from existing filaments. Although earlier studies revealed that actin filament dynamics are essential for many functions of the actin cytoskeleton, there are little data connecting actin dynamics and mitochondrial m...

Cell signalling is regulated by submicroscopic features of the plasma membrane, including the actin cytoskeleton and clathrin-coated pits. Total internal reflection microscopy is ideal for studying this, but resolution is limited to approximately 200 nm. This article explains how, at the University of Osnabrück, we have established a triple-colour super-resolution imaging approach to attain an ...

Focal adhesion assembly and maturation often occurs concomitantly with changes in force generated within the cytoskeleton or extracellular matrix. To coordinate focal adhesion dynamics with force, it has been suggested that focal adhesion dynamics are mechanosensitive. This review discusses current understanding of the regulation of focal adhesion assembly and force transmission, and the limits...

Recent experiments have revealed that some membrane proteins aggregate to form clusters. This type of process has been proven to be dynamic and to be actively maintained by external kinetics. Additionally, this dynamic recruiting is cholesterol- and actin-dependent, suggesting that raft organization and cytoskeleton rearrangement play a crucial role. In the present study, we propose a simple mo...

Actin cytoskeleton remodeling is fundamental for Fcγ receptor-driven phagocytosis. In this study, we find that the leukocyte-specific protein 1 (LSP1) localizes to nascent phagocytic cups during Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis, where it displays the same spatial and temporal distribution as the actin cytoskeleton. Down-regulation of LSP1 severely reduces the phagocytic activity of macrophage...

The mechanisms that govern receptor coalescence into functional clusters--often a critical step in their stimulation by ligand--are poorly understood. We used single-molecule tracking to investigate the dynamics of CD36, a clustering-responsive receptor that mediates oxidized LDL uptake by macrophages. We found that CD36 motion in the membrane was spatially structured by the cortical cytoskelet...

To enable stratification and barrier function, the epidermis must permit self-renewal while maintaining adhesive connections. By generating K14-GFP-actin mice to monitor actin dynamics in cultured primary keratinocytes, we uncovered a role for the actin cytoskeleton in establishing cellular organization. During epidermal sheet formation, a polarized network of nascent intercellular junctions an...

Membrane structures and cytoskeleton dynamics are intimately inter-connected in the eukaryotic cell. Recently, the molecular mechanisms operating at this interface have been progressively addressed. Many experiments have revealed that the actin cytoskeleton can interact with membranes through various discrete membrane domains. The actin-binding protein, profilin has been proven to inhibit actin...