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The cytoskeleton: from regulation to function
Author(s) -
Bretscher Anthony
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1093/embo-reports/kvd123
Subject(s) - cytoskeleton , library science , political science , biology , genetics , computer science , cell
The European Cytoskeleton Forum (formerly the European Cytoskeleton Club) was established 20 years ago by G. Gabbiani (chair), W.W. Franke, B. Geiger, B.M. Jockush, U. Lindberg, M. Osborn, F. Ramaekers, J.V. Small, J. Vandekerckhove and K. Weber. The Forum now has an annual meeting in an attractive European location to highlight the latest progress in cytoskeleton research. The 15th Meeting of the European Cytoskeleton Forum, held in Blankenberge on the Belgian coast at the end of August, was attended by about 160 participants from Europe, with a sprinkling of speakers form the USA and Japan. The outstanding program was superbly organized by joel Vandekerckhove, Christophe Ampe and Jan Gettemans (Ghent, Belgium). The meeting was sponsored by Euroconference grant No. ERBFMMACT980455, and by grant WO.028.00N from the Fund for Scientific Research‐Flanders (Belgium).![][1] How the field has changed! In the early days of cytoskeletal research, intense interest was generated by the identification and cataloging of new cytoskeletal proteins, and their grouping into functional classes, which now number >60. While this important first step continues, and will surely be expanded as mammalian genomes are completed, the field has also advanced to other levels. This has resulted in the emergence of an integrated view of how signal transduction pathways regulate cytoskeletal elements that participate in cell structure, motility and membrane traffic. Since no meeting can cover such a large area in great depth, it is necessary for the organizers to select an area for emphasis, preferably spiced with major advances in related topics. The 15th Meeting of the Cytoskeletal Forum did this admirably, with an emphasis on microfilament regulation and function. Here I attempt to provide an overview of the central focus of the meeting, rather than provide a comprehensive account, so many interesting contributions are not mentioned.### Regulation by Rho GTPasesThe central theme of the meeting … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif