Find Actin 1 Products |
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| Gene ACTA2; Gene ACTA_Human |
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| Actin, alpha 2, smooth muscle, aorta |
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| NCBI/Entrez |
59 |
| HGNC |
130 |
| UniProt/Swiss-Prot/ UniProt/TrEMBL |
Q6FI19
Q5T9N7
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| Ensembl |
ENSG00000107796 |
| GDB |
125197 |
| OMIM |
102620 |
| GeneLoc |
GC10M090684 |
| Synonyms: Actin, aortic smooth muscle, ACTSA, ACTVS, Alpha-actin-2, Actin, vascular smooth muscle, aSMA. |
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Gene ACTA2; Gene ACTA_Human
Alpha actins are differentially found in the contractile apparatus of the three muscle cell types; sarcomeric (striated) skeletal and cardiac muscle cells and non-sarcomeric smooth muscle cells. Alpha smooth muscle actin, SMactin, alpha-SM-actin, ASMA, is a 42 kDa, 375 amino acids long protein coded by the ACTA2 gene (Gene map locus 10q22-q24) that is post-translationally modified (PTM) by N-terminal acetylation, methylation (tele-His75) and tyrosine nitration (Tyr296). It is one of six actin proteins coded by the highly conserved actin gene family. This family also includes: alpha skeletal, skActin (ACTA1); alpha cardiac, caActin, (ACTC1); beta-actin (ACTB); gamma 1, gamma(cyto) (ACTG1) and gamma enteric, SMGA (ACTG2) actin genes. Actin isotypes are sequence diverse primarily in their N-terminal regions.
Alpha-SM-actin, ASMA, is a transient component of stress fibers, structures which play an important role in cell adhesion and tension. Stress fibers generate cell traction force (CTF). ASMA associates with stress fibers to up-regulate CTF under specific physiological conditions. ASMA is preferentially and predominately expressed in quiescent arterial/aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC), myofibroblasts, and carcinoma associated fibroblasts (CAF). Myofibroblasts are terminally differentiated cells derived from fibroblasts, dedifferentiated smooth muscle cells (SMC) and possibly germ line transitions that play an important role in tissue fibrosis and epithelial cancer malignancies. ASMA positive myofibroblasts have been found in the stroma of Dupuytren's nodule and a wide variety of carcinomas. The presence of ASMA positive myofibroblasts is generally correlates with increased aggressiveness of the carcinoma and poor prognosis. ASMA positive myofibroblasts are found in the stoma of non-malignant tissues during wound repair. Dysregulation of ASMA positive myofibroblasts is linked to a wide variety of fibrotic diseases including atherosclerosis. Alpha smooth muscle actin is expressed in a variety of myogenic soft tissue tumors, including leiomyomas, leiomyosarcomas and some rhabdomyosarcomas.
Sigma offers antibodies and shRNAs useful for the study of ACTA2 gene products.
References:
Badid C, Mounier N, Costa AM, Desmoulière A. (2000) Role of myofibroblasts during normal tissue repair and excessive scarring: interest of their assessment in nephropathies. Histol Histopathol. 1: a269-80.
Chen J, Li H, SundarRaj N, Wang JH. (2007) Alpha-smooth muscle actin expression enhances cell traction force. Cell Motil Cytoskeleton. Cell Motil Cytoskeleton. 64: 248-57.
Darby IA, Hewitson TD. (2007) Fibroblast differentiation in wound healing and fibrosis.Fibroblast differentiation in wound healing and fibrosis. Int Rev Cytol. 257: 143-79.
Hinz B, Phan SH, Thannickal VJ, Galli A, Bochaton-Piallat ML, Gabbiani G. (2007) Fibroblast differentiation in wound healing and fibrosis.The myofibroblast: one function, multiple origins. Int Rev Cytol. 257: 143-79.
Nakayama H, Enzan H, Miyazaki E, Toi M. (2002) Fibroblast differentiation in wound healing and fibrosis.Alpha smooth muscle actin positive stromal cells in gastric carcinoma. J Clin Pathol. 10: 741-4.
Roholl PJ, Elbers HR, Prinsen I, Claessens JA, van Unnik JA. (1990) Fibroblast differentiation in wound healing and fibrosis.Distribution of actin isoforms in sarcomas: an immunohistochemical study. Hum Pathol. 12: 1269-74.
Footnote: Gene Data Sources: HGNC, Entrez Gene, UniProt/Swiss-Prot, UniProt/TrEMBL, GDB, OMIM, GeneLoc, Ensembl.
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