title: Visualisation of the actin cytoskeleton by cryo-electron microscopy.
abstract: An understanding of the mechanisms driving cell motility requires clarification of the structural organisation of actin filament arrays in the regions of cell protrusion termed lamellipodia. Currently, there is a lack of consensus on lamellipodia organisation stemming from the application of alternative procedures for ultrastructural visualisation of cytoskeleton networks. In this study, we show that cryo-electron microscopy of extracted cytoskeletons embedded in a thin layer of vitreous ice can reveal the organisation of cytoskeletal elements at high resolution. Since this method involves no dehydration, drying and contrasting steps that can potentially introduce subtle distortions of filament order and interactions, its application opens the way to resolving the controversial details of lamellipodia architecture.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Department Cell Biology, Billrothstrasse 11, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Guenter P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.forename: Kenneth N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Goldie
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoenger
authors.forename: J Victor
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Small
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial