ABSTRACT
CNRS-lnstitut Curie. 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France Epithelial cells have a surface that is well adapted to their function as a selective barrier between two compartments. As with all cells, the surface is composed of a network of actin filaments closely associated with the plasma membrane. This network has several different functions. It is required for the development and maintenance of cell polarity, it regulates the functions of membrane proteins, and it participates in transducing signals from the exterior of cells to intracellular compartments.
