title: The control of cellular motility and the role of gelsolin.
abstract: Solation of actin gel by gelsolin is much less efficient in the presence of a high concentration of macromolecular solutes. The rigidity of the gel formed by 12 microM actin is lowered from 4 to 0.33 dynes/cm2 by 15 nM gelsolin, while in 6% (w/v) polyethylene glycol, rigidity is lowered only from 20 to 11 dynes/cm2 by 64 nM gelsolin. Owing to the large concentration of protein, transitions in the fluid- and gel-like properties of the cytoplasm are expected to be problematic when promoted by gelsolin alone.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Chimica Biologica, Università di Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grazi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuneo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cataldi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002417:Cattle; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens; D018260:Gelsolin; D005895:Gizzard, Avian; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D011485:Protein Binding; D011817:Rabbits; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D018260:Gelsolin; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D014335:Tropomyosin