Plakins
plakins
The plakins are a family of cytolinkers characterized by a multimodular structure that enables them to function as versatile cross-linkers of the cytoskeleton. They connect the microfilament, microtubule (MT), and intermediate filament (IF) systems with each other and with junctional complexes in organelle and plasma membranes, thereby contributing to cell shape and polarity. They also act as scaffolds and adaptors for signaling proteins that modulate cytoskeletal dynamics or cell migration, differentiation, and stress responses.