Membrane-actin microfilament connections: an increasing diversity of players related to band 4.1.

The cortical actin cytoskeleton participates in various membrane-based processes which necessitate a large amount of plasticity in the molecular components involved in these interactions. A family of proteins homologous to band 4.1 is involved in the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in response to various stimuli, and probably plays a role in transmembrane signalling. This family includes tyrosine phosphatases, substrates of tyrosine kinases and a candidate for a tumor-suppressor gene.