β-Actin

A major constituent of the cytoskeleton

General Information

The two major cytoskeletal proteins involved in cell motility are myosin and actin. Monomeric actin is a globular protein that is expressed in all eukaryotic cells. Actin is the major subunit of microfilaments, a major component of the cytoskeleton, and of thin filaments, part of the contractile apparatus in muscle cells.
Actin is involved in many cellular processes including cell motility, maintenance of cell shape, and organelle trafficking.
Three main groups of actin have been identified. α-actins are found in muscle tissues whereas β- and γ-actins co-exist in most cell types as components of the cytoskeleton.