Editing Microfilament (section)

==Associated proteins==
In non-muscle cells, actin filaments are formed proximal to membrane surfaces. Their formation and turnover are regulated by many proteins, including:{{cn|date=December 2024}}
* Filament end-tracking protein (e.g., [[formins]], [[VASP (gene)|VASP]], [[N-WASP]])
* Filament-nucleator known as the Actin-Related Protein-2/3 (or [[Arp2/3]]) complex
* Filament cross-linkers (e.g., α-actinin, [[fascin]], and [[fimbrin]])
* Actin monomer-binding proteins [[profilin]] and [[thymosin beta-4|thymosin β4]]
* Filament barbed-end cappers such as Capping Protein and CapG, ''etc''.
* Filament-severing proteins like [[gelsolin]].
* Actin depolymerizing proteins such as ADF/[[cofilin]].

The actin filament network in non-muscle cells is highly dynamic. The actin filament network is arranged with the barbed-end of each filament attached to the cell's peripheral membrane by means of clamped-filament elongation motors, the above-mentioned "actoclampins", formed from a filament barbed-end and a clamping protein (formins, VASP, Mena, WASP, and N-WASP).<ref name="D&P2002">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Dickinson RB, Purich DL |date=January 2007 |title=Nematode sperm motility: nonpolar filament polymerization mediated by end-tracking motors |journal=Biophysical Journal |volume=92 |issue=2 |pages=622–31 |bibcode=2007BpJ....92..622D |doi=10.1529/biophysj.106.090472 |pmc=1751402 |pmid=17056726}}</ref>  The primary substrate for these elongation motors is profilin-actin-ATP complex which is directly transferred to elongating filament ends.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Dickinson RB, Southwick FS, Purich DL |date=October 2002 |title=A direct-transfer polymerization model explains how the multiple profilin-binding sites in the actoclampin motor promote rapid actin-based motility |journal=Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics |volume=406 |issue=2 |pages=296–301 |doi=10.1016/s0003-9861(02)00212-6 |pmid=12361718}}</ref>  The pointed-end of each filament is oriented toward the cell's interior. In the case of lamellipodial growth, the Arp2/3 complex generates a branched network, and in filopodia a parallel array of filaments is formed.{{cn|date=December 2024}}