Small molecules, big impact: a history of chemical inhibitors and the cytoskeleton.
Chemical inhibitors, whether natural products or synthetic, have had an enormous impact on the study of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Here we review the history of some of the most widely used cytoskeletal poisons and their influence on our understanding of cytoskeletal functions. We then highlight several new inhibitors and the targeted screens used to identify them and discuss why this approach has been successful.
Peterson
Jeffrey R
JR
Department of Cell Biology and Institute of Chemistry and Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jeffrey_peterson@hms.harvard.edu
Mitchison
Timothy J
TJ
D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins