The Role of Cortexillin in Dictyostelium discoidium Movement
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Authors
McPeak, Christopher L.
Issue Date
1998
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Dictyostelium discoidium is an ideal cell for the study of cell
motility as it is analogous to many of the cells found within the
human body. There are many proteins within the actin filament
meshwork of the cytoskeleton of these cells which are intimately
involved in the mechanisms of cell locomotion, cytokinesis, and
phagocytosis. In this study, we determined the "normal" cytoskeletal
organization of AX2 Dictyostelium cells through biochemical
techniques as well as detailed examination under the electron
microscope. We also examined the protein cortexillin, an actin
binding protein, determining its localization and amount within the
cytoskeleton of the Dictyosteilum cell.
The results of this study revealed the average length,
concentration, and number of actin filaments within the AX2
Dictyostelium cell. Through electron microscopic and immunogold
labeling techniques, we also were able to provide direct visual
correlation between the morphology and fine structure of the
cytoskeleton with differences in motile behavior between wild-type
and cortexillin null cells reported previously.
Description
iv, 47 p.
Citation
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