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The Function and Research Progress of Intermediate Filaments
Li Jian, Jiu Yaming*
CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology & Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Abstract: Intermediate filaments (IFs)， together with actin filaments and microtubules comprise a diverse and flexible cytoskeletal system. Besides mechanical support， IFs are involved in a wide range of cell signaling pathways. In addition， IFs-associated functions are essential for cell migration， cell proliferation， cell differentiation and apoptosis. Characteristically， the mutations and posttranslational modifications of IFs were found in various pathological processes， including cancer， tissue regeneration， inflammation， pathogen infection as well as immune responses. This review briefly summarizes the cellular function of IFs， and focuses on its interplay with other cytoskeletal systems and regulation of a variety of diseases. As multifactorial and tissue-specific integrators， the comprehensive study on IFs will contribute to diverse range of pathologies.
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