Background information
Adducins are a family of cytoskeleton proteins encoded by three genes (Alpha, Beta, Gamma). Adducin is a protein associated with the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and is one of the proteins localized at the spectrin-actin junction of the membrane skeleton. The cortical actin cytoskeletal network is lost during apoptosis and Adducins are central in the cortical actin network organization. Adducin Alpha is a cytoskeletal protein involved with sodium-pump activity in the renal tubule and is associated with hypertension. The expression of Adducin Alpha and Adducin Gamma is ubiquitous in contrast to the restricted expression of Adducin Beta. Adducin Beta is expressed at high levels in brain and hematopoietic tissues, such as bone marrow, in humans, and in spleen in mice.
