title: Animal cell shape changes and gene expression.
abstract: Cell shape and cell contacts are determined by transmembrane receptor-mediated associations of the cytoskeleton with specific extracellular matrix proteins and with ligands on the surface of adjacent cells. The cytoplasmic domains of these microfilament-membrane associations at the adherens junction sites, also localize a variety of regulatory molecules involved in signal transduction and gene regulation. The stimulation of cells with soluble polypeptide factors leads to rapid changes in cell shape and microfilament component organization. In addition, this stimulation also activates the phosphoinositide signaling pathway. Recently, a linkage between actin-binding proteins and the phosphoinositide signaling pathway, was discovered. It is suggested that by the association with the second messenger system, and/or by controlling the localization of regulatory molecules, the cytoskeleton may regulate gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Virology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Ze'ev
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors