Intermediate filament (IF) proteins have a common structural motif consisting of an alpha-helical rod domain flanked by non-alpha-helical amino-terminal head and carboxy-terminal tail domains. Coiled-coil interaction between neighboring rod domains is though to generate the backbone of the 10-nm filament. There must also be other interactions between subunits to bring them into alignment and to...

In skeletal muscle fibers, forces must be transmitted between the plasma membrane and the intracellular contractile lattice, and within this lattice between adjacent myofibrils. Based on their prevalence, biomechanical properties and localization, desmin and keratin intermediate filaments (IFs) are likely to participate in structural connectivity and force transmission. We examined the passive ...

0892-6638/96/0010-031 7/sQl .50. © FASEB 317 ABSTRACT: S-100a0, the aa isoform of a subfamily of Ca2 4-binding proteins of the EF-hand type expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells, is reported to inhibit the assembly of the intermediate filament subunit desinin and to stimulate the disassembly of desmin intermediate filaments in the presence of micromolar levels of free Ca2 + These effec...

Ischemia-reperfusion-induced Ca(2+) overload results in activation of calpain-1 in the heart. Calpain-dependent proteolysis contributes to myocardial dysfunction and cell death. Previously, preischemic treatment with low doses of H(2)O(2) was shown to improve postischemic function and reduce myocardial infarct size. Our aim was to determine the mechanism by which H(2)O(2) protects the heart. We...

The distribution patterns of desmin and vimentin were determined in Zavot cattle skin using standard immunohistochemical techniques. Skin samples were collected from the different regions of the bodies. Vimentin-immunoreactivity was observed in the cells of subepidermal region, in the myoepithelial cells surrounding sebaceous and sweat glands, in the fibroblast, smooth muscle, endothelial cells...

The serial sarcomere number of skeletal muscle changes in response to chronic length perturbation. The role of the intermediate filament desmin in regulating these changes was investigated by comparing the architectural adaptations of the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus from wild-type mice with those of homozygous desmin knockout mice after hindlimb immobilization....