Neurofilaments, a subclass of intermediate filaments: structure and expression.
Neurofilaments, a subclass of intermediate filaments: structure and expression.
复制标题
神经丝，中间丝的一个子类：结构和表达。
DOI：
10.1101/sqb.1983.048.01.075
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发表时间：
1983
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
N. Geisler
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
K. Weber;G. Shaw;M. Osborn;E. Debus;N. Geisler
Amino acid sequence data have led to a general model of intermediate filament (IF) structure applicable to all IF proteins so far examined (Geisler and Weber 1982). These include desmin, vimentin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), various cytokeratins, and the hard ct-keratins of wool. In this model a 40K rodlike middle domain displaying two major arrays of a-helix able to form interpolypeptide coiled-coils is the common and dominant structural motif. The noncoiled-coil arrays of the aminoterminal headpiece and carboxyterminal tailpiece show an astonishing hypervariability both in sequence and in length. Here we discuss a combined biochemical, protein chemical, and immunological approach to fit not only the 68K protein, but also the two higher-molecular-weight triplet proteins of the neurofilament into this model. We establish common and distinct properties of the triplet proteins in comparison to nonneuronal IF proteins. The five major classes of IFs are expressed in a histologically meaningful pattern, ie, cytokeratins are typical of epithelia, neurofilaments of most but not all neurons, GFAP of glia, desmin of myogenic differentiation, and vimentin filaments are present mainly but not exclusively in mesenchymal cells (for recent reviews, see Lazarides 1982; Osborn and Weber 1982, 1983). In addition, subsequent studies have subdivided the cytokeratins in up to 19 individual species, some of which are again typical only of certain histologically distinct epithelial cell types (Moll et al. 1982). This tissue-and cell type-specific expression of IFs offers unique advantages in studies of embryonic differentiation (Franke et al. 1982; Holtzer et al. 1982; Osborn et al. 1982b) and tumor surgical pathology (Osborn and Weber 1983). Here we summarize recent studies on IF expression in various cell types of the nervous system, with particular emphasis on the retina. We discuss the use of conventional and monoclonal antibodies, each specific for only one of the triplet proteins. Such antibodies can also be used to type a variety of human tumors derived from the sympathetic nervous system.
