Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton by the protein SWAP-70 [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Jochen Kühnl

  Jochen Kühnl         Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton  by the protein SWAP‐70          2008      Biologie         Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton  by the protein SWAP‐70         Inaugural‐Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften im Fachbereich Biologie der Mathematisch‐Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Westfälischen Wilhelms‐Universität Münster     vorgelegt von Jochen Kühnl aus Hamburg ‐2007‐  Dekan:         Prof. Dr. Norbert Sachser ErsterGutachter:      Prof. Dr. Martin Bähler Zweiter  Prof. Dr. Volker Gerke Tag der mündlichen Prüfung:     01. April 2008 Tag der Promotion:  11. April 2008 Abstract Abstract The actin cytoskeleton is a major component of all eukaryotic cells and crucial for numerous cellular functions including cell motility, endocytosis and intracellular vesicle transport. Actin exists either in a monomeric globular form or can self-assemble into a filamentous form (F-actin). Signaling pathways including the family of small GTPases control the spatio-temporally coordinated assembly, cross-linking and disassembly of F-actin which allows directed cell migration. Cells utilize several F-actin binding proteins to facilitate the subsequent assembly of complex three-dimensional structures with different functionality.