Vimentin is the major protein subunit of the 10nm or intermediate filaments (IFs) found in many kinds of mesenchymal and epithelial cells as well as developing neuronal and astrocytic precursor cells in the CNS. Vimentin is thought to be critically involved in lymphocyte adhesion and transmigration (Nieminen M et al. 2006). Copolymers are frequently formed between vimentin and other IFs, such as GFAP (in many kinds of astrocytes), desmin (in muscle cells) and neurofilament proteins (in developing neurons). Antibodies to vimentin are useful in studies of stem cells and generally to reveal the filamentous cytoskeleton. Recent studies suggest that vimentin affects prostate cancer cells motility and invasiveness (Zhao et al. 2008).
