Journal of Cell Science 115, e903-e903 (2002)
© 2002 The Company of Biologists Limited
Actin under Cryo-EM
Defining the precise organization of cellular actin filaments is an
important goal of cytoskeletal research and will allow us to understand how
protrusive force is generated in motile cells. The current model of a
`treadmilling' branched actin array is compelling but based on electron
microscopy, and so there is always the worry that the picture is distorted by
preparation artefacts. One approach that avoids preparative steps that
generate such artefacts is cryo-EM, but its application has been limited to
objects in aqueous suspensions. Gunter Resch and co-workers now reveal that
cryo-EM can be applied to cytoskeletons (see
p. 1877). They have grown
cells on holey carbon support films and embedded the extracted cytoskeletons
in a layer of vitreous ice. Combining video microscopy and cryo-EM, they have
been able to view the organization of the cytoskeleton in
lamellipodia/filopodia with unprecedented clarity. Ultimately, this method
will allow investigators to discriminate between different models of
lamellipodial protrusion, revealing, for example, the extent of actin
branching and the precise location of lamellipodial proteins.
Related articles in JCS:
- Visualisation of the actin cytoskeleton by cryo-electron microscopy
- Guenter P. Resch, Kenneth N. Goldie, Angelika Krebs, Andreas Hoenger, and J. Victor Small
JCS 2002 115: 1877-1882.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
