Overview:

Vimentin is a member of intermediate filament family of proteins and is an important structural feature of eukaryotic cells (1). Along with microtubules and actin microfilaments, Vimentin make up the cytoskeleton component of cells. Studies have shown that Vimentin is attached to the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, either laterally or terminally. Vimentin plays a significant role in supporting and anchoring the position of the organelles in the cytosol (2). Thus, Vimentin plays a key role in maintaining cell shape, integrity of the cytoplasm, and stabilizing cytoskeletal interactions

Gene Aliases:

VIM, FLJ36605

Genbank Number:

NM_003380

References:

1. Fuchs, E., et al: Intermediate filaments: structure, dynamics, function, and disease". Annu Rev Biochem,1994; 63: pp. 345–82.

2. Katsumoto, T. et al: The role of the vimentin intermediate filaments in rat 3Y1 cells elucidated by immunoelectron microscopy and computer-graphic reconstruction. Biol Cell,1990; 68 (2): pp. 139–46.