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Actin Filaments definitions

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  • Actin Filament
    A double-helical polymer of protein subunits, forming part of the cytoskeleton and enabling cell movement and shape changes.
  • Microfilament
    A cytoskeletal structure synonymous with actin filament, crucial for maintaining cell shape and facilitating movement.
  • G-actin
    A globular protein monomer that binds ATP and serves as the building block for filamentous actin structures.
  • F-actin
    A filamentous polymer formed by the linear assembly of actin monomers, typically arranged in a double helix.
  • Polarity
    A structural feature where two ends of a filament differ, influencing the direction and rate of filament growth.
  • Plus End
    The rapidly growing terminus of a filament where ATP hydrolysis occurs slowly, favoring addition of new subunits.
  • Minus End
    The slower-growing terminus of a filament where ATP hydrolysis is rapid, often leading to subunit loss.
  • Treadmilling
    A dynamic process where subunits are added at one end and lost at the other, maintaining filament length.
  • Dynamic Instability
    A behavior where a filament's end alternates between phases of growth and shrinkage, primarily at the plus end.
  • Nucleation
    The initial, rate-limiting step in filament formation, where a stable actin oligomer is assembled to seed further growth.
  • ARP2 Complex
    A protein assembly that initiates new actin branches by promoting nucleation of filaments.
  • ADF
    A protein that binds actin and enhances the dissociation of ADP-bound subunits, facilitating filament turnover.
  • Cofilin
    A regulatory protein that accelerates actin filament disassembly by binding to ADP-actin regions.
  • Profilin
    A protein that promotes the addition of actin monomers to filaments, counteracting the effects of ADF and cofilin.
  • Cell Cortex
    A dense network of actin filaments and associated proteins located beneath the plasma membrane, supporting cell shape.
  • Microvilli
    Finger-like plasma membrane projections supported by actin bundles, increasing surface area for absorption.