title: The cytoskeleton and disease.
abstract: Cytoskeletal research in recent years has revolutionized cell biology and biomedicine. The cytoskeleton spans the cytoplasm and interconnects the cell nucleus with the extracellular matrix, thereby forming a structural link between molecules involved in cell communication on the one hand, and gene expression on the other. Since the cytoskeleton is involved in virtually all cellular processes, abnormalities in this essential cellular component frequently result in disease. In this introduction, the basic structure of the cytoskeleton is briefly outlined. Furthermore, the disease processes in which the cytoskeleton plays a decisive role, and which are reviewed in detail in the papers in this issue, are briefly introduced. The advances in our understanding of the cytoskeleton and its function in disease will lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the foreseeable future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Research Institutes CARIM, GROW and EURON, University of Maastricht, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. f.ramaekers@molcelb.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Frans C S
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Ramaekers
authors.forename: Fred T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Bosman
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D007633:Keratins