The role of α-actinin in Z-disks assembly: a morphological point of view


https://doi.org/10.4081/microscopie.2012.4983
Vol. 18 No. 2 (2012)
Submitted: 15 January 2015
Accepted: 15 January 2015
Published: 30 September 2012
α-actinin, myogenic differentiation, Z-disk, immunofluorescence, immunogold.
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Authors

  • V. Baldassarri
    valentina.baldassarri@uniurb.it
    DiSTeVA, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, Italy.
  • S. Salucci DiSTeVA, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, Italy.
  • P. Ferri DiSTeVA, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, Italy.
  • E. Falcieri DiSTeVA, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino; Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, CNR, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
  • S. Burattini DiSTeVA, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, Urbino, Italy.
Sarcomeric α-actinin is a multitasking protein that provides structural integrity of the sarcomeres in skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore it can modulate receptors and channels and it serves as a scaffold for several signaling pathways. α-Actinin is crucial for connecting together actin filaments from adjacent sarcomeres, forming the Z-disk and then contributing to proper muscle physiology. The aim of this work was to clear up the role of sarcomeric α-actinin in Z-disk formation during myogenic differentiation. For this purpose, C2C12 murine skeletal muscle cells were analyzed at three time points of differentiation. Confocal laser scanner microscopy and transmission electron microscopy have been utilized for α-actinin immunolocalization. Our results suggest that, when differentiation is induced, α-actinin links at first membrane-associated proteins, then it aligns longitudinally across the cytoplasm and finally binds actin, giving rise to the Z-disks. A failure in this multistep process can lead to several myopathies involving aberrant accumulation of myofilaments (e.g. nemaline rod myopathy), called Z-discopathies. So, further study of α-actinin behavior could be a useful tool to better understand myofilament organization during myogenic differentiation and in correlated pathologies.

Baldassarri, V., Salucci, S., Ferri, P., Falcieri, E., & Burattini, S. (2012). The role of α-actinin in Z-disks assembly: a morphological point of view. Microscopie, 18(2), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.4081/microscopie.2012.4983

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