Filamin

Actin is one of the most abundant proteins in cells and is present particularly in the cell cortex. Here it forms networks and bundles, stabilised and modulated by crosslinking proteins, such as filamin. Filamin dimers with itself in such a way that the actin binding sites are at an angle to one another. Filamin-actin networks form gels that resist rapid deformation, but adjust to tension slowly. So cells resist abrupt forces, but slowly change shape.