CYTOSKELETON DYNAMICS DURING NEUROTRANSMITTER RELEASE

It has become apparent in recent years that the cytoskeleton and its a ssociated proteins play a major role in secretion. This review summari zes recent findings on the cytoskeleton organization and the molecular topology of its regulatory proteins, as well as the dynamic changes t hat occur in this organelle during secretion from neurons and secretor y cells. Although two apparently different ultrastructures and molecul ar organizations of the cytoskeleton seem to be involved in neuronal a nd secretory cell secretion, there are similarities between the two sy stems. In both neurons and secretory cells, Ca2+ plays a pivotal role in the control of cytoskeleton dynamics, especially in the changes in actin filament networks observed during secretion.