Fascin: a key regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics.

Fascin is a 55 kDa actin-bundling protein and is an important regulatory element in the maintenance and stability of parallel bundles of filamentous actin in a variety of cellular contexts. Regulation of fascin function is under the control of a number of different signalling pathways that act in concert to spatially regulate the actin-binding properties of this protein. The ability of fascin to bind and bundle actin plays a central role in the regulation of cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Fascin has received considerable attention recently as an emerging key prognostic marker of metastatic disease. Studies are now underway to better understand the precise regulation of this protein in the context of tumour progression and to investigate fascin as a potential therapeutic target for a number of forms of cancer. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.