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Acting the Part
26 June 2015

Acting the Part

Actin – a protein that forms strands or filaments within our cells – plays a part in many different processes, including cell division, signalling, adhesion, and movement, and in the maintenance of the cell shape as part of the cytoskeleton. When a cell divides or moves, the cytoskeleton arranges into a very precise structure. Organisation of actin filaments is not only determined by the properties of the actin and its associated proteins, but also by geometric constraints. Using computer simulations, researchers have looked at how this protein network forms. They found that the way the filaments interact with each other, their stretchiness and their ability to trigger the assembly of fresh actin fibres were all important. Pictured is a composite of computer simulation images of the actin filaments, representing all those important elements during their organisation.

Written by Katie Panteli

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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