WASPs and WAVEs: from molecular function to physiology in hematopoietic cells.

The actin cytoskeleton is critically involved in a variety of cell functions. The Arp2/3 complex mediates branching of filamentous actin. The members of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family are major regulators of the complex. As such, the family proteins are also involved in numerous aspects of cell biology. In this short review, we first define the expanding WASP family. Next, we compare the domain structure of the members, and explain the known or proposed functions of each domain or region. Finally, we demonstrate the well-characterized roles of the proteins in specific cellular functions.