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New Frontiers in Cytology pp 166–177Cite as

The Cytoskeleton: Diagnostic Possibilities and Limitations

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Abstract

The cytoskeleton comprises the three-dimensional network of cellular structures including nuclei, organelles, fibrils, and membranes. Among these, the intracytoplasmic filaments form the framework of the cytoskeleton in a narrower sense. The ubiquitous intermediate filaments (7–11 nm) whose diameters lie approximately between those of microfilaments (6 nm) and microtubules (25 nm) can be separated biochemically and immunologically into five classes. Each kind of intermediate filament polypeptide is associated with a well defined cell and tissue type. Cytokeratin polypeptides can be identified in epithelial cells, vimentin predominantly in mesenchymal cells, desmin in muscle cells, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) typically in astrocytes, and neurofilament polypeptides (NF) mainly in neurons (Table 1; Osborn and Weber 1983; Traub 1985).

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Authors
  1. K. Schwechheimer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-6900, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    Klaus Goerttler

  2. Institut für Vergleichende und Experimentelle Pathologie der Universität, Im Neuenheimer Feld 220-221, D-6900, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    Georg E. Feichter

  3. Abteilung Innere Medizin, Diakonissenhospital, D-7500, Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany

    Siegfried Witte

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© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Schwechheimer, K. (1988). The Cytoskeleton: Diagnostic Possibilities and Limitations. In: Goerttler, K., Feichter, G.E., Witte, S. (eds) New Frontiers in Cytology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73596-7_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73596-7_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-73598-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-73596-7

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