actin assembly
Actin polymerization often occurs at the plasma membrane to drive the protrusion of lamellipodia and filopodia at the leading edge of migrating cells.
A role for actin polymerization in another cellular process that involves the reshaping of the plasma membrane, namely endocytosis, has recently been established.
Pathology of actin polymerization
Lowe syndrome (mutations in the OCRL1 gene, which encodes a phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate 5-phosphatase) (#12428211#)
References
Kaksonen M, Toret CP, Drubin DG. Harnessing actin dynamics for clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Jun;7(6):404-14. PMID: #16723976#
Huang TY, Dermardirossian C, Bokoch GM. Cofilin phosphatases and regulation of actin dynamics. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2006 Feb;18(1):26-31. PMID: #16337782#
Stradal TE, Scita G. Protein complexes regulating Arp2/3-mediated actin assembly. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2006 Feb;18(1):4-10. PMID: #16343889#
Condeelis J. How is actin polymerization nucleated in vivo? Trends Cell Biol. 2001 Jul;11(7):288-93. PMID: #11413039#
Frischknecht F, Way M. Surfing pathogens and the lessons learned for actin polymerization. Trends Cell Biol. 2001 Jan ;11(1):30-38. PMID : #11146296#