Intermediate filament
Intermediate filaments are one component of the cytoskeleton - important structural components of living cells. Their size is intermediate between that of microfilaments and microtubules. They are assembled from several different proteins. IFs crisscross the cytosol from the nuclear envelope to the cell membrane.
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Types
The type of IF depends on the protein it is made of.
Lamin IFs
- There are lamin A, B, and C filaments.
Other types of intermediate filaments
- Neurofilaments in central neurons.
- Keratin IFs in epithelial cells. (image to right)
- Desmin IFs in muscle cells.
- Vimentin IFs in fibroblasts.
- GFAP in glial cells.
- Peripherin in peripheral neurons.
Details
At the plasma membrane, IFs are attached by adapter proteins to desmosomes and heidesmosomes.
Categories: Cell biology