title: Intermediate filaments: a historical perspective.
abstract: Intracellular protein filaments intermediate in size between actin microfilaments and microtubules are composed of a surprising variety of tissue specific proteins commonly interconnected with other filamentous systems for mechanical stability and decorated by a variety of proteins that provide specialized functions. The sequence conservation of the coiled-coil, alpha-helical structure responsible for polymerization into individual 10 nm filaments defines the classification of intermediate filament proteins into a large gene family. Individual filaments further assemble into bundles and branched cytoskeletons visible in the light microscope. However, it is the diversity of the variable terminal domains that likely contributes most to different functions. The search for the functions of intermediate filament proteins has led to discoveries of roles in diseases of the skin, heart, muscle, liver, brain, adipose tissues and even premature aging. The diversity of uses of intermediate filaments as structural elements and scaffolds for organizing the distribution of decorating molecules contrasts with other cytoskeletal elements. This review is an attempt to provide some recollection of how such a diverse field emerged and changed over about 30 years.
authors.affiliation: Oncodevelopmental Biology Program, Cancer Research Center, The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. rgoshima@burnham.org
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Oshima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003585:Cell Biology / Q000266:history*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins