Titin; Key component in the assembly and functioning of vertebrate striated muscles. By providing connections at the level of individual microfilaments, it contributes to the fine balance of forces between the two halves of the sarcomere. The size and extensibility of the cross-links are the main determinants of sarcomere extensibility properties of muscle. In non-muscle cells, seems to play a role in chromosome condensation and chromosome segregation during mitosis. Might link the lamina network to chromatin or nuclear actin, or both during interphase; Belongs to the protein kinase su [...]

Xin actin-binding repeat-containing protein 2; Protects actin filaments from depolymerization. Belongs to the Xin family.

Alpha-actinin-2; F-actin cross-linking protein which is thought to anchor actin to a variety of intracellular structures. This is a bundling protein.

Heart- and neural crest derivatives-expressed protein 2; Essential for cardiac morphogenesis, particularly for the formation of the right ventricle and of the aortic arch arteries. Required for vascular development and regulation of angiogenesis, possibly through a VEGF signaling pathway. Plays also an important role in limb development, particularly in the establishment of anterior- posterior polarization, acting as an upstream regulator of sonic hedgehog (SHH) induction in the limb bud. Is involved in the development of branchial arches, which give rise to unique structures in the he [...]

Zyxin; Adhesion plaque protein. Binds alpha-actinin and the CRP protein. Important for targeting TES and ENA/VASP family members to focal adhesions and for the formation of actin-rich structures. May be a component of a signal transduction pathway that mediates adhesion- stimulated changes in gene expression (By similarity); Belongs to the zyxin/ajuba family.

Ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein 1; May play an important role in endothelial cell activation. May act as a nuclear transcription factor that negatively regulates the expression of cardiac genes. Induction seems to be correlated with apoptotic cell death in hepatoma cells.

Vinculin; Actin filament (F-actin)-binding protein involved in cell- matrix adhesion and cell-cell adhesion. Regulates cell-surface E- cadherin expression and potentiates mechanosensing by the E-cadherin complex. May also play important roles in cell morphology and locomotion; Belongs to the vinculin/alpha-catenin family.

Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein; Ena/VASP proteins are actin-associated proteins involved in a range of processes dependent on cytoskeleton remodeling and cell polarity such as axon guidance, lamellipodial and filopodial dynamics, platelet activation and cell migration. VASP promotes actin filament elongation. It protects the barbed end of growing actin filaments against capping and increases the rate of actin polymerization in the presence of capping protein. VASP stimulates actin filament elongation by promoting the transfer of profilin-bound actin monomers onto the barbed end [...]

Filamin-C; Muscle-specific filamin, which plays a central role in muscle cells, probably by functioning as a large actin-cross-linking protein. May be involved in reorganizing the actin cytoskeleton in response to signaling events, and may also display structural functions at the Z lines in muscle cells. Critical for normal myogenesis and for maintaining the structural integrity of the muscle fibers.