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. 2010 May 17;189(4):619–629. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201003008

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© 2010 Hotulainen and Hoogenraad

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Figure 2. — Comparison of actin organization in fibroblast cells and dendritic spines. (A) In conventional filopodia from fibroblast cells, actin filaments are elongated from the tip of filopodia by mDia2, Ena/VASP, and myosin X. Polymerized actin filaments are bundled by fascin. In dendritic filopodia (neurons), mDia2 elongates actin filaments from the tip of filopodia. The functions of Ena/VASP and myosin X have not yet been studied in dendritic spines. In addition to tip polymerization, actin filaments of dendritic filopodia elongate from base. Fascin is absent from dendritic filopodia. (B) In lamellipodia from fibroblast cells, actin filaments are nucleated by Arp2/3 complex. Actin barbed ends are capped by capping protein to maintain filaments short. ADF/cofilins depolymerize pointed ends of actin filaments to replenish the actin monomer pool. Profilins change the ADP to ATP and transport ATP-actin monomers to the free barbed ends. In dendritic spine heads (neurons), functions of Arp2/3 complex and cofilin resemble those in lamellipodia. The function of capping protein has not been investigated. Profilins localize to dendritic spines in an activity-dependent manner.