Intermediate filaments in cardiomyopathy

Intermediate filaments

Intermediate filaments form a class of insoluble cytoplasmic filaments ofdimensions intermediate in size between those of microtubules (about 25 nm in diameter) and microfilaments (about 7 nm in diameter). Thus, they are generally known as intermediate-sized filaments (IF)' or 10-nm filaments. They have been identified in virtually all differentiated types ofcells and it seems possible that IF-...

Intermediate filaments in smooth muscle.

The intermediate filament (IF) network is one of the three cytoskeletal systems in smooth muscle. The type III IF proteins vimentin and desmin are major constituents of the network in smooth muscle cells and tissues. Lack of vimentin or desmin impairs contractile ability of various smooth muscle preparations, implying their important role for smooth muscle force development. The IF framework ha...

Intermediate Filaments in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Intermediate filaments in nervous tissues

Intermediate filaments have been isolated from rabbit intradural spinal nerve roots by the axonal flotation method. This method was modified to avoid exposure of axons to low ionic strength medium. The purified filaments are morphologically 75-80 percent pure. The gel electrophoretogram shows four major bands migrating at 200,000, 145,000, 68,000, and 60,000 daltons, respectively. A similar pre...

Intermediate Filaments: Vimentin Moves in

Vimentin intermediate filaments move bi-directionally along microtubules in the cell. Recent work has identified the microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein as the missing inward-directed motor that drives this movement.