Author Description

The many and varied cell types of all living organisms use proteins to maintain their shape, to adhere to substrates, in their contacts with neighbouring cells, in their internal organization and to generate the forces needed for movement. There has been an explosion of knowledge about the structure, function and distribution of these proteins and new ones are being discovered all the time. This work is a compendium of the molecules of the cytoskeleton involved in cell architecture and cell motility. Organized alphabetically, it summarizes the essential features of these proteins, giving key references and drawing together information from a widely-scattered literature. The introductory chapters provide overviews, and each entry a quick way to learn the essentials of each protein supported by key references for in-depth learning.