Actinin is a microfilament protein. alpha-Actinin is necessary for the attachment of actin filaments to the Z-lines in skeletal muscle cells, and to the dense bodies in smooth muscle cells. The functional protein is an anti-parallel dimer, which cross-links the thin filaments in adjacent sarcomeres, and therefore coordinated contractions between sarcomeres in the horizontal axis. Description: Chicken gizzard. Alternative Names: Actinin protein