As a kind of cytoskeleton protein,vimentin is a major member of intermediate filament family.Vimentin is found mainly in mesenchymal cells,and its expression and phosphorylation are regulated by many factors.In the past,vimentin was revealed as a scaffold maintaining cellular integrity,and recent studies shed lights on the evidence that vimentin played many important roles in cellular adhension,growth,apoptosis,cell signaling as well as inflammatory response.This article summarizes the recent progress of vimentin about its expression and function.Abstract:SUMM ARY As a kind of cytoskeleton protein,vimentin is a majormember of intermed iate filament fam i-ly.V imentin is found mainly in mesenchymal cells,and its expression and phosphorylation are regulated by many factors.In the past,vimentin was revealed as a scaffold maintaining cellular integrity,and re-cent stud ies shed lights on the evidence that vimentin played many important roles in cellular adhension,growth,apoptosis,cell signaling as well as inflammatory response.This article summarizes the recent progress of vimentin about its expression and function.
