More than just a load control: cytoskeletal form and function during aging
Many cellular functions decline in efficacy during the aging process. The actin cytoskeleton is no exception, and exhibits marked decline in structural integrity and function as we age. The integrity of the cytoskeleton is essential to diverse cellular processes and disruption of the organization and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton leads to age-associated symptoms and diseases, ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration. Dr. Higuchi-Sanabria proposes a multipronged approach to understand how the regulatory network involved in cytoskeletal maintenance deteriorates during aging, and how this contributes to the physiological consequences of aging.