Gelsolin is localized in neuronal growth cones.

Gelsolin, a Ca(2+)-sensitive actin filament-severing protein, is involved in actin turnover. Immunocytochemical study with anti-gelsolin antibody revealed that the protein is localized in both filopodia and the body part of growth cones of differentiated PC12 cells with nerve growth factor (NGF) and of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Here, we identified gelsolin as one of the molecular bases for the Ca(2+)-dependent movement of growth cones.