Role Of Sex Hormones In Cytoskeletal Structure: Implications In Cellular Lifespan

Abstract

The cytoskeleton is composed of intracellular structures that maintain cell shape, interconnect organelles to each other, often attached to the cell membrane and is involved in signaling pathways. Sex steroids are effective regulators of cell morphology and recent evidence indicates that it is obtained through the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Intriguingly, evidence implicates the actin cytoskeleton as both a sensor and mediator of apoptosis. Since it has been shown that sex hormones affect/regulate the cellular cytoskeleton, the aim of the present chapter is to discuss the molecular mechanism and targets, related to cytoskeleton, where sex steroids act and modulate the apoptotic process and in consequence the cellular lifespan.

Keywords: Actin, Cytoskeleton, Signalling Pathways.

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