Actin filaments in human skin fibroblasts are similar in normal persons and patients with Huntington's disease.

Actin filaments in skin fibroblasts from patients with Huntington's disease (HD) were examined using immunofluorescent methods. Actin filaments were seen along the axis of cell elongation (stress or sheath filaments) as well as in areas of membrane ruffling (lattice filaments). In some cases, filaments appeared to radiate from foci within the cell. Bundles of these filaments radiated in various directions at different depths within a cell. These structures are similar, in cells from both normal individuals and HD patients, to actin filaments observed in other cell types. The higher-than-normal confluent densities achieved in culture by fibroblasts from patients with Huntington's chorea do not involve alterations in the ultrastructure of actin filaments.