Actin biology, the core mechanism

The actin bank that powers cell movement

Moving cells push their leading edge forward by building actin filaments, part of the actin cytoskeleton, and take older filaments apart. Thymosin beta-4’s core job is to hold a reserve of free actin monomers, keeping them from polymerizing while supplying them when the cell needs filaments. Think of it as the cell’s actin savings account.

This unit explains G-actin versus F-actin, how sequestration works, and the central paradox of giving more of a protein the cell already keeps in huge supply.