Adducins are a family of cytoskeleton proteins encoded by three genes (alpha, beta and gamma). Adducin is a protein associated with the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and is one of the proteins localized at the spectrin-Actin junction of the membrane skeleton. The cortical Actin cytoskeletal network is lost during apoptosis and Adducins are central in the cortical Actin network organization. Adducin alpha is a cytoskeletal protein involved with sodium-pump activity in the renal tubule and is associated with hypertension. The expression of Adducin alpha and Adducin gamma is ubiquitous in contrast to the restricted expression of Adducin beta . Adducin beta is expressed at high levels in brain and hematopoietic tissues, such as bone marrow in humans and spleen in mice.
