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The actin cytoskeleton: a key regulator of apoptosis and ageing?

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 6, pages 583–589 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Evidence from many organisms has shown that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has a detrimental effect on cell well-being. High levels of ROS have been linked to programmed cell death pathways and to ageing. Recent reports have implicated changes to the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton in the release of ROS from mitochondria and subsequent cell death.

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Figure 1: Actin organization in aged yeast cells.
Figure 2: Characterized role for actin in mammalian apoptosis.
Figure 3: Ion channel regulation by actin.
Figure 4: Uncoupling actin from Ras–cyclic-AMP signalling.
Figure 5: ATP/ADP homeostasis and actin dynamics.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Winder and P. Mitchell for critical reading of this manuscript. K.R.A. and C.W.G. are supported by a Medical Research Council (MRC) senior research fellowship to K.R.A.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Firth Court, Western Bank, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    Campbell W. Gourlay & Kathryn R. Ayscough

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Correspondence to Kathryn R. Ayscough.

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DATABASES

Entrez Gene

ACT1

Swiss-Prot

SM22

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Kathryn Ayscough's laboratory

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Gourlay, C., Ayscough, K. The actin cytoskeleton: a key regulator of apoptosis and ageing?. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 6, 583–589 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm1682

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