The goals of these studies are to determine the structure and function of intermediate filaments and their associated proteins in mammalian cells. Intermediate filaments are major cytoskeletal structures and their constituent proteins vary in a cell type specific fashion.
The specific aims of the proposed research are to determine the mechanisms underlying the assembly of intermediate filament networks, the interactions of intermediate filaments with microtubules, and the regulation of their dynamic and motile properties. The techniques employed in these studies include light and electron microscopy, single cell microinjection methods, biochemical characterization of proteins, and the cloning and transfection of wild type and mutant cDNAs in cultured mammalian cells. The results of these studies are related to human health as it has been demonstrated that there are many diseases linked to mutations in the structural proteins comprising intermediate filaments and there are other diseases in which abnormal accumulations of intermediate filaments are a pathological hallmark of disease. The latter include the formation of Mallory bodies in alcoholic liver disease and Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
5R37GM036806-18
Application #
6630514
Study Section
Cellular Biology and Physiology Subcommittee 1 (CBY)
Program Officer
Deatherage, James F
Project Start
1986-07-01
Project End
2004-07-31
Budget Start
2003-08-01
Budget End
2004-07-31
Support Year
18
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$456,534
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005436803
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60611
Helfand, Brian T; Mendez, Melissa G; Murthy, S N Prasanna et al. (2011) Vimentin organization modulates the formation of lamellipodia. Mol Biol Cell 22:1274-89
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Helfand, Brian T; Chou, Ying-Hao; Shumaker, Dale K et al. (2005) Intermediate filament proteins participate in signal transduction. Trends Cell Biol 15:568-70

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